Troubles in Eternity
by Janie3
Summary: When lives are changed and Elena leaves, shortly after she learns something's threatening Stefan. It's up to Bonnie, Stefan, Elena and Damon to stop it. A lot can happen in a short time....(R&R! Feedback is LOVED!)
1. Disclaimers

Title: Troubles In Eternity   
Author: Janie   
E-mail: SwtAzSugar46@aol.com   
Rating: R  
Based on: VD   
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. They belong to LJ Smith and other   
companies.  
Feedback is _ LOVED _. Read and reply. Thanks! 


	2. Default Chapter

Elena stood by the window, peering out into the night. Below her the sounds of the town rang all about. Cars passing, crickets and the occasional sound of someone's laughter. She sighed and raked a hand through her silky blond hair that spilled down a little past her shoulders. She was lonely, and wrapped her arms around her, the wind ruffling the crimson silk-like nightgown she had on. Stefan had gone to visit Bonnie, or more like dragged by another situation. She couldn't go; she wasn't ready to face another terrible thing. She wanted Fells Church in the past. So she had stayed, with no company, and no idea of his return.  
  
Suddenly the atmosphere of the room shifted and she felt that she wasn't alone. She felt this sixth sense stronger then any human could. Stefan, against his will, had changed her again to vampire form after very tiring arguments and pleading. She told him that after loosing her twice, the miracles were over. If she stayed human there was no way he could cope with the life cycle of death, permanently.  
  
She felt her heart practically fall to her stomach as she picked up the faint hint of familiar cologne. Oh God. This is not happening. This *is* not happening. This *can't* be happening. Her mind told her frantically. Elena turned, slowly, stiffly. "Damon," was all she said.  
  
"Elena." He said with his casual, almost lazy tone.  
  
The cool summer breeze blew in through the open window, making strands of blond hair fly about her face. Elena pushed them away, noticing Damon's eyes never left her face.  
  
She studied him, looking at his hair, with the colors of the rainbow reflected in them, cast by the faint light of the lamp on her nightstand. She suddenly ached to run her fingers through them. Her gaze moved to his amazing eyes. "It's been a long time."  
  
"I know."  
  
Elena's gaze shifted to his lips as he talked. Those velvety soft lips that she had never kissed. The thought was some how shocking. Those many pursuits Damon had done, yet he had never forced her to kiss him, he'd never even once tried to kiss her.  
  
She put out a hand, touched his arm. Damon stepped back and his very posture was tense. As though he was trying very hard not to touch her. "Damon…."  
  
  
  
"Don't."  
  
  
  
"I don't understand…."  
  
  
  
"What do you want from me, Elena? You've got Stefan, it's who you chose."  
  
  
  
He turned to the window; he stood, but he had relaxed, as though being farther  
  
away was relieving. He was not facing her.  
  
"What do I want? You came in, I didn't tell you to."  
  
  
  
There was no reply from him, and when she went closer to him he instantly stiffened again, his body self contained, controlled.  
  
  
  
There was tension in the air. Tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.  
  
  
  
"This is the very same way you treated me when I came back! Cold, Unemotional. Elena's voice shook.  
  
  
  
Damon turned, his black eyes stared.  
  
  
  
"Look at me."  
  
  
  
He turned, slowly, dark eyes fierce. "Don't deny it Elena. You know you feel it."  
  
  
  
The emotional tension and sexual tension in the air was blazing and she felt it and it scared her.  
  
  
  
"And what if I said I didn't?"  
  
  
  
He took a step closer to her. "I'd say you were lying." He spoke softly but his black eyes flashed bright with challenge.  
  
  
  
Elena heard him take a breath. "I think you're desperate, Damon." She said coldly.  
  
  
  
"You know nothing of what I think." He hissed.  
  
  
  
"You're wrong. I do. You know I do."  
  
  
  
Damon was looking straight at her, his eyes bore into hers, and this time they reflected emotion. She could sense it as well. Defeat.  
  
  
  
She was driving him crazy. In all the time he'd been in Fells Church, he'd tried to resist her, the temptress. He had such respect and such love for her it'd been difficult. But now he was bending, succumbing to the feeling of her so close.  
  
All those times he'd taken for granted, the few times he'd gotten close, been able to touch her slightly, or even hold her for a minute or two, seemed like nothing right now. When he'd danced with her that time in the dream it'd been perfect, they'd been perfect. Together they were one eternal burning flame of passion, desire, forbidden love.  
  
"Stop denying it. You know you can't. You're like an open book to me, Elena."  
  
Elena felt heat in her cheeks.  
  
"I want you as much as you want me." His voice was low, velvety and it was making her stomach quiver and her knees weak.  
  
He bent his face closer, brushing his lips on hers, and her whole body felt like liquid as they touched her mouth. The wildfire attraction between them blazed. Elena felt herself leaning, giving into the embrace. Falling, drowning in what she had denied herself so long. She responded to his kiss. Feeling his breath on her cheek as his mouth trailed along her neck.  
  
"Damon this isn't right," was all she managed.  
  
  
  
"I know".  
  
  
  
Elena pushed off his jacket, helplessly lost in his arms, not having the strength nor will to put an end to what was happening.  
  
He'd moved her to the bed. Damon lifted his head, and he said, slowly, almost painfully, as if he couldn't get the words out, "I love you."  
  
They fell onto the bed, together, and the sparks blazed as he brought his lips to hers again.  
  
  


	3. Chapter 2

The doorbell rang. Elena hurried to answer it, smoothing back her hair and straightening her top she pulled open the large oak door. Bonnie stood behind it.  
  
"Bonnie! Come in, come in! I've missed you so much."  
  
Bonnie grinned and pulled her friend into a hug.  
  
"So, how are you, and how are things with Matt?" Elena asked smirking. She gestured for Bonnie to follow her as she started towards the kitchen. Bonnie sat down in a chair and sighed.  
  
"It's great sometimes, but other times I think my Powers overwhelm him, frighten him. Ya know?"  
  
Elena nodded. "Don't worry I'm sure it'll work out."  
  
She walked over to a cabinet, pulling down two cups. Setting them down on the countertop, she paused. "Bonnie?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Where's Stefan?"  
  
She'd been so caught up in seeing Bonnie again she'd forgotten he hadn't come in.  
  
"Oh, he's coming soon. He went to, err….eat." She replied sheepishly.  
  
"Ah, Okay. You want some coffee?" Elena asked, gesturing to the cups.  
  
"Sure. Why not."  
  
Moments later the coffee was done. Sitting at the table Elena smiled at Bonnie. "Spoken to Meredith?"  
  
"Not recently, last I heard she was with Alaric someplace."  
  
Bonnie grinned. "Those two make such an odd pair. Half the time they're in love the other half they're just bickering. It's comical."  
  
Elena agreed, smiling. It was true.  
  
"How's Margaret and Aunt Judith?" Elena voice threatened to waver but she cleared her throat and regained her composure.  
  
"They're good. Oh Elena, Margaret has grown so much and Robert and your Aunt get along nicely. It's so good that Margaret has a father figure. She misses you terribly, Elena."  
  
"I know, I know. I can't go back there Bonnie. She'll just have to think I'm gone. It's the way it has to be. Maybe when she's a lot older."  
  
Bonnie sighed.  
  
The next thing out of Bonnie's mouth was startling. She spoke softly when she said, "Elena, has Damon made himself seen? I mean we haven't seen him since that night in the clearing."  
  
Elena shifted uncomfortably in her chair and there was a moment of silence as she stared into her coffee. "Well, no actually."  
  
"Oh. It's strange but I think I miss having him around with his sarcastic remarks. He always made things interesting."  
  
"Yeah, know what you mean."  
  
"You of all people should know." Bonnie mumbled, winking.  
  
Elena swatted at her friend. "Shush."  
  
"Do you love him Elena?"  
  
Where the hell is she getting all these questions? Elena wondered. Stefan was right, Bonnie always just said whatever came to her mind. "Why do you ask?"  
  
Bonnie simply shrugged. "Curiosity."  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat." Elena mentioned. "But anyway in answer to that…." Elena hesitated. "Yes I do."  
  
"Like Stefan?"  
  
This time it was Elena who shrugged. "I suppose. It's hard to explain. Stefan in my husband, he's my life. Damon, well he's not my husband but I love him all the same. I know, and it's a scary thought and an odd one, but I know that if Stefan hadn't been in my life I would have gladly gone with Damon."  
  
"Elena! You make it seem like Stefan's an inconvenience."  
  
"That's not how I meant it to come out. I'm trying my best. To put it simply, Stefan is my world; we're meant for each other like a ring for a finger. Interlocking pieces at the soul. Where as I can't help myself from loving Damon and I know he loves me. I saw it in his eyes the other…." Elena caught herself and hastily tried to cover it up. "…. When I was dying in Katherine's crypt. He cried Bonnie. He cried for me."  
  
"Damon crying?"  
  
"Yes, he kept telling me to hold on, that he'd take me home. Oh Bonnie, I'd never thought there was a side like that in Damon. He's always got that mask on of pure control and no emotions. He wants you to think he doesn't care. But deep down, he does."  
  
"More then you could guess. We saw that with Stefan the night in the clearing."  
  
Before Elena or Bonnie could say anything more the front door opened and Stefan walked in. Elena got up quickly and ran over to him. "Stefan!" He put his arms around her and brought his lips to hers.  
  
"Missed you."  
  
"I missed you too. Hey, you didn't tell me you were bringing Bonnie."  
  
"I wanted to surprise you. You were surprised right?"  
  
"Yup. C'mon into the kitchen."  
  
"Sorry I didn't come in with Bonnie. I was-"  
  
"I know, Bonnie told me." Elena cut in.  
  
Stefan sat down with the girls. "So what did you do while I was away?"  
  
"Not much." Elena said bluntly, her stomach twisting not liking where the conversation was going. "So. Where's Bonnie gonna stay?" Elena asked quickly.  
  
"She can use the spare bed if she likes."  
  
"Oh, the couch would be fine. I don't sleep well sometimes, I'd probably wake you two up and, well you deserve privacy…." Bonnie replied.  
  
"Nonsense, Bonnie." Elena told her friend. "You're welcome to anything while you're here."  
  
"Really, Elena, I'd feel much better if I could just use the couch," She said.  
  
Elena sighed. "All right. Anyway, do you want anything to eat?"  
  
Bonnie shook her head of red curls. "Nah."  
  
Stefan then said in exaggerated courteousness, "Pardon me, ladies, I'm going to take a shower." He grinned.  
  
"Okay." Elena said, and blew him a kiss.  
  
Stefan wandered upstairs.  
  
"Oh Elena," Bonnie said dreamily, "You're so lucky to have him. He loves you so much, not to mention he's damn gorgeous. When he looks at me I could melt."  
  
Elena felt a pang in her stomach at the mention of love. She pushed it aside before she could get too upset.  
  
"I know. And he's all mine. _Every night_." Elena laughed teasingly.  
  
"Can't I take a peek?" Bonnie asked. "Please, I'd give him back, I just wanna go upstairs and look in while he's—"  
  
"Nope." Elena said grinning.  
  
"Aw, you're no fun. Know that?"  
  
Elena winked at Bonnie as she dissolved into a fit of laughter. She then proceeded to get up to put her cup in the sink.  
  
"Come on, let's find something on TV. I need some fun."  
  
Bonnie got up and with Elena, walked into the living room. 


	4. Chapter 3

Later that evening Bonnie was outside taking a late night walk. She did this whenever she couldn't sleep. Her mind began to dwell on things Elena had told her in the kitchen. Then just to Damon.  
  
Stop it Bonnie McCullough! You have Matt.  
  
She shook her curls annoyed at herself.  
  
Continuing on down the block she got a chill. Her psychic senses were picking up the aura of someone familiar. Bonnie's heart started to race as she rounded a corner and stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"Well, well. Look who we have here. It's been a while hasn't it, Bonnie?"  
  
Bonnie knew that silky voice all to well. The voice that made your stomach do flip flops and your head feel dizzy. The voice that had held her captive outside Vickie Bennett's house.  
  
She whipped around, her curls lashing about her face. She went very still, not daring to breathe.  
  
Standing right in back of her was Damon Salvatore.  
  
  


	5. Chapter 4

Damon leaned forward, a strand of night black hair fell into one of his eyes. "Aren't you even going to say hello? Where are your manners dear Bonnie?" His voice was velvety and soft like the brush of fingers against silk.  
  
It took another moment for her to catch her breath, her fingers twitched wanting to brush the strand from his eyes. She balled her fingers into fists and clamped them to her sides.  
  
"I don't know what to say." Bonnie tried to keep control of her wavering, nervous voice.  
  
"Don't say anything then." Damon grinned, one of his lightening quick grins and slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer. "Don't be afraid. I told you that before." Damon said softly as she instantly stiffened.  
  
Bonnie couldn't look away, her eyes were locked with his and she felt herself becoming weaker. She got a brief flashback of Vickie Bennett's house when Damon said those words to her.  
  
She hadn't had the strength then to say anything but now she murmured, "Elena wouldn't like it. She'll know." Bonnie whispered.  
  
Bonnie felt him stiffen and Damon's black eyes flashed. For a moment she thought he was going to push her away but then he lowered his head to her throat. She felt his lips on her neck and a sharp little sting but then that subsided and she felt like she was floating. She relaxed more, leaning against Damon's supporting arms.  
  
She realized his shields were down, and her psychic powers were picking up his thoughts, He's thinking of Elena. It's dark, but he's in a room. Elena's room and Elena's there….They're standing close, his arms are around her. But they're not standing anymore….Two of them, together, on a bed, clothing sprawled on the floor….  
  
Before Bonnie could get anything else, his shields flew back up. She felt Damon lift his head. He released her. She still felt groggy. She opened her eyes slowly, but Damon was not there. She then realized she was not standing anymore, nor was she outside.  
  
She looked around hazily. I'm on a couch. Her vision cleared and she remembered she was in Elena's living room. But how had she got there?  
  
Before she could think anymore she remembered something else. Damon's thoughts. 


	6. Chapter 5

Oh my God. Oh my God. Elena said she hadn't seen him. But she lied. Not only had she seen him but also she'd _slept_ with him. Oh my….  
  
Bonnie didn't have time to even complete the sentence when she realized Elena was in the room. The way she'd been lying her hair was off her neck and the two puncture marks were in sight for anyone to see. She went to brush her hair over the spots but Elena stopped her.  
  
"Bonnie, who did that?"  
  
"Damon." Bonnie said softly. She gulped.  
  
Oh God. If Damon did that to Bonnie then while he was feeding his shields were down. With his shields down Bonnie has access to all his thoughts. Elena though franticly.  
  
Elena was going to say something but Bonnie cut her off. "I saw it all. Damon, you, everything."  
  
Elena groaned. "Bonnie it wasn't what you think."  
  
"Elena don't pretend I'm stupid. I know exactly what happened and I know that you lied. Elena how could you? How could you do that to Stefan?"  
  
"Bonnie keep your voice down!"  
  
"I want to know Elena. Why?"  
  
"I told you Bonnie. Yesterday. I told you I still love him."  
  
"Like that makes it all right?"  
  
"Bonnie you don't know what it's like to be torn between two people you love! All right? So just do me a favor and don't say a word!"  
  
"How can I not? When Stefan if right upstairs….and you just told me that you and Da-"  
  
"Bonnie _please!_ I'm _begging_ you!"  
  
"Fine." Bonnie said, peering at Elena, her normally warm brown eyes narrowed at her.  
  
"I'm going out. If Stefan asks, tell him I went shopping."  
  
Not letting Bonnie even answer, Elena walked out of the room, her head pounding. Opening the front door she stepped outside, shutting it behind her. Stepping into her car, she gunned the engine. She had to find Damon. 


	7. Chapter 6

She felt his presence before she saw him. He was standing, talking to a young girl, looking about 19 or so. Elena could tell what he was doing just from his actions. But she didn't care how hungry he was, hunting could wait. She pulled up to the curb, shut the engine and got out. Shutting her door she ran over to Damon, shoes clicking on the pavement.  
  
Damon's eyes widened, dark brows raising. "Elena. What are you-"  
  
"Shut up and get in the car." Elena said. She didn't mean to sound so pushy, but this wasn't exactly the best of times.  
  
"What? Why." Damon looked confused, surprised and annoyed all at the same time. *Can't you see I'm busy? * He spoke in her mind.  
  
*So sorry to interrupt* Elena shot back. Aloud, she said, "Just get in the car." Then, at his expression, added, "_Please_."  
  
The girl standing with Damon was looking perplexed and vaguely jealous that Elena was getting his attention. She studied Elena with a nasty expression, as if to see what Elena had that she was lacking.  
  
"Fine." Damon stalked off to the car.  
  
"He's spoken for." Elena replied to the girl, angered that she was sending her daggers with her bright blue eyes. Elena hurried over to the car, getting in behind the wheel.  
  
"Now do you mind telling me what the hell this is about?" Damon asked her as she pulled away and drove down the road.  
  
Elena's knuckles were white as she clutched the steering wheel.  
  
"Elena?"  
  
Elena still didn't answer; she stared at the road.  
  
"Elena, say something!" Damon demanded, his voice getting angry.  
  
Finally, Elena took a shaky breath. "Bonnie knows." 


	8. Chapter 7

Damon did not answer. He turned his face away instead and just stared out the windshield.  
  
"Did you hear me? I said she knows!" Elena said vehemently. Sharply Elena stepped on the gas and pulled over onto a side street. Damon's hand reflexively shot out to keep himself in the seat.  
  
"Could you have _possibly_ stepped on the pedal harder?" He mumbled.  
  
Damon slowly shifted his gaze to Elena's face, which was pale and flushed at the same time.  
  
"Knows what?"  
  
Elena's blue eyes narrowed in anger.  
  
"Damn it, don't play games with me Damon! You know damn well what."  
  
She stared back at Damon, who was returning her gaze calmly. Frustrated Elena pulled open the door forcefully and got out, slamming the door so hard the car shook.  
  
A second later Damon emerged and walked around to her.  
  
"Damn." Elena said, her head falling back against the car.  
  
Damon squinted up at the sky then he looked to Elena.  
  
"It's your fault you know." Elena said.  
  
"_Don't_ blame it on me, Elena." Damon's voice that was so controlled a moment before was now full of barely contained anger. "It takes two people to do what we did."  
  
Elena's head snapped up and she took a step towards Damon. Her eyes ablaze, a fiery blue that burned at him.  
  
"That's not what I meant. If you hadn't used Bonnie, she wouldn't have seen your _thoughts_. Therefore she wouldn't _know_." Elena spoke slowly, punctuating each word sharply.  
  
"All right so I made a mistake! What do you want from me? To get down on my knees and beg your forgiveness?" Damon's voice was no longer dangerous and low. It had risen to a level that made Elena step back.  
  
"No."  
  
Damon slapped at the car in annoyance and Elena suddenly, ironically, remembered the time in the church when he'd punched the windowpane.  
  
"Stop. Calm down, Damon," She said softly.  
  
Her eyes weren't furious they were wide and Damon could see the beginning of tears forming.  
  
Damon suddenly wished he hadn't said what he did. The urge to take her in his arms was overwhelming. The sun was high in the sky and the tear that ran down her cheek glinted.  
  
He reached out and with one finger, gently traced the trail of her tear.  
  
Elena bowed her head and he took her in his arms.  
  
"I don't know what to do, Damon." She whispered. "I love him. But I love you too. I can't just stop loving you; you can't just ignore when you love someone. God, I feel like I'm in Fells Church all over again."  
  
Damon pulled away and softly kissed her lips.  
  
"It will work out. I promise."  
  
Elena made a scoffing sound and replied, "Promises. You don't keep promises well."  
  
But looping his arms about her waist, he smiled faintly and she couldn't help the smile she returned. 


	9. Chapter 8

Bonnie has resolved to keep her mouth shut, but as she listened through the wall of the guest bedroom located next to theirs, which she had decided on sleeping in since the last incident, she knew it didn't matter. It was a week later and Elena had told him anyway.  
  
"How could you! Damn it Elena! And you _dare_ speak of trust!" He was yelling, obviously oblivious to Bonnie's presence in the room next door.  
  
"Stefan, please…." Elena was saying, desperation clear in her voice.  
  
"With him! Please? No Elena I can not just listen! Do you not realize what a marriage is based on?"  
  
Bonnie heard a sob like sound that came from her best friend.  
  
"Stefan, you know that I love you-" She was cut off and Bonnie jumped at a crash.  
  
Stefan had flung something across the room, that much was clear. She debated running in to see if everything was all right or whether or not to just leave the house. She decided against both and stayed rooted where she was.  
  
"Love! How can you love me Elena when you sleep with my brother! And don't tell me. Keeping secrets and lies, that is not love Elena."  
  
There was tears in Elena's voice as she spoke. "I do. Oh Stefan you know I love you." She sounded like she was begging for his understanding.  
  
In the room, Elena had put her hand on Stefan's shoulder. "Stefan."  
  
He wrenched his arm away. "How could you?" He shook his dark head in disbelief.  
  
"I….I don't know. But Stefan!" She cried, her blue eyes wide.  
  
"What Elena? Do you think your selfish ways will get you what you want this time? Do you think I will forgive you because you simply say the words 'I'm sorry?'" His green eyes flashed in anger. "You can't always get what you want Elena. You had to have it both ways still didn't you Elena? _I'm not enough am I_?"  
  
Stefan's voice had risen to a yell again, and Bonnie, still perched on the bed next to the wall, heard another thud. He'd thrown something else, and Bonnie knew his temper. She wondered if Elena…. But she shook her head. Even in a fit of rage he'd never lay a hand on her.  
  
She shook her head slowly and gave another sob.  
  
"I do love you Stefan, it's just that not the way I did. Stefan, listen, we've been growing apart recently. I don't understand it, but I can't control it." She spoke softly.  
  
Stefan had cooled down a bit and his eyes searched his wife's imploringly.  
  
"Elena. After all we've been through, after all that's happened and all the time that's passed you're still choosing _him_ over me?"  
  
Another sigh. Another attempt to touch him. Another failure. She gave up and let her hand slip to her side.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll kill him. I will."  
  
"Stefan no! Don't you see I still care about you!"  
  
"I'll brake his neck, that dirty-"  
  
"No! Stop Stefan!" She reached out and this time grabbed his arm, latching on so he couldn't get out the door.  
  
"Listen to me Stefan!" Elena said sternly, her blue eyes flashing, challenging his green. "Don't. Don't do it. It won't solve things. This feud with your brother has been going on for over 500 damn years. When the hell are you going to stop Stefan?"  
  
There was no reply, or if there had been, Bonnie had not been able to interpret it. She felt like crying. It wasn't supposed to end this way. This fairy tale ending that had been what she'd witnessed in the clearing the night Elena came back, was being destroyed by the one person who had enough power to brake up a marriage arranged by fate. Damon.  
  
Again, Bonnie was tempted to run in the room, take Elena by the shoulders and shake her, beat it into her head that she was making a mistake. Or are you just jealous that Matt won't accept you, and that Damon loves Elena and not you? Her mind shot.  
  
That's crazy! But in her heart she knew it wasn't. She truly didn't want Elena to brake up what she had with Stefan, any one in the right mind wouldn't, but she knew if Elena wasn't happy, she wasn't staying. But there was a part inside of Bonnie, a part that honestly envied all that Elena had. Elena was like a magnet, taking everything that she passed- anything that would stick- along with her.  
  
She had a force, a sheer magnetism about her, which drew people to her, strangers turned their heads to look at her when she passed on the streets, and everyone stopped when she walked into a room. She was just like that: strong, fiery, beautiful. She was Elena.  
  
"So you're just ending it. Just like this?" Stefan questioned. The hurt in his voice made Elena falter.  
  
"Just don't hurt him Stefan." She whispered. "And don't hate me."  
  
Stefan turned from her, pushing her hand off him once more, just a bit gentler this time. He faced the window, his chest tight with frustration and pain. His heart felt heavy and he wanted to die. But he wasn't going to show Elena that.  
  
"Go."  
  
He had said it so simply. So matter of fact. Blunt. Terse. Bonnie was shocked and she knew, in the room adjoined to this one, her friend was too.  
  
"What?" Elena asked, dazed, unbelieving.  
  
"Go. Leave. If you want him go."  
  
For a moment Elena didn't know if this was reality. Possibly time had stopped, or was it a dream? Was she drugged? Stefan, telling her to leave?  
  
"Where?"  
  
"To him. Wherever. Just don't come back." Stefan, for a split second, wished he could take back what he'd said.  
  
Bonnie was silent, in shock. Oh..my..God.  
  
Elena let out a loud sob. The tears ran down her cheeks and Stefan could see her reflection clearly in the window. His heart pounded, and he wanted to just hold her in his arms, turn back time, and fix whatever he had done to mess things up. Whatever had happened to make Elena stop loving him. His hand jerked reflexively, to wipe the tears away but he held it tightly in a fist.  
  
"You don't mean that." Elena stated dumbly as more tears escaped.  
  
"You made it obvious you want him. It's what you want isn't it?" Stefan said, coldly, brutally.  
  
His voice became steely, harsh, like Damon's. He was capable of becoming just as cruel. And he was going to. Ignoring the pain that threatened to rip his heart in two.  
  
"You can come back for your things tomorrow. I won't be here."  
  
His wife did not reply. Instead she quietly removed the wedding ring from her finger, placing it on the dresser and stared at her husband for a moment more. Without another word she turned to leave.  
  
"And Elena," He'd kept his voice the same, with no emotions revealed.  
  
With her hand on the door she stopped at the sound of his voice. Her heart thudded again. She couldn't help it.  
  
Even if she was no longer in love with him the way she used to be, his voice had the power to make her weak. And she remembered for an instant how his voice sounded when he said her name, whispering it in the dark, those nights where she'd been in pure bliss in his arms…  
  
But what he said brought reality crashing back so hard she almost collapsed against the doorframe.  
  
"Have a nice life. But remember I don't want to see you again." 


	10. Chapter 9

Bonnie herself felt like crying. As she heard the door click into place as Elena stepped out into the hall, she wanted to get up and run to her friend. But again she stayed. Even as she heard her crying, as she walked down the dimly lit hall. She knew she needed time alone. As for Stefan….  
  
She heard the downstairs door shut. Bonnie heard no movement from the room next-door. She sent her mind out, reaching for his. She wanted to know what he was thinking.  
  
When she made contact and picked up his thoughts she knew he was trying not to show his pain, but with Elena gone and still not giving any sign that he knew she had heard the whole thing, his resolve was braking. The full impact was settling in. He'd lost her. Again. Twice to death and again to his brother.  
  
How much more could one being take? The death of his mother, the guilt of Katherine, the hate for his brother, the self-condemned feelings for himself, the sole feeling of utter and complete abandonment. Alone. He was alone. He'd lost everything, and everyone.  
  
Right now he needed someone. And the only one there was herself.  
  
Finally Bonnie got up. She moved to the door, opened it slowly and stepped into the hall. She didn't knock, just opened the door. He was standing by the window, very still, very silent.  
  
The feelings she picked up were a blur of pain, hurt, sadness, and anger. All jumbled and undecided. He was rigid, tense. He felt like dying, and she knew it.  
  
Bonnie stood in the doorway, watching him. His eyes were closed, as far as she could tell from the reflection in the glass. There were things strewn about the room from when he had his fit. His hands were shaking, and when Bonnie looked at her own gripping the molding of the doorframe, they shook as well.  
  
Drawing herself up to her full, rather short, height, she thrust her chin out and stepped into the room. 


	11. Chapter 10

He would die if it could take away her pain. Not that he'd let her know that. Not yet anyway. He'd told her he loved her once, and that was more then enough explanation on his part. He'd felt her hurt from across town. It hadn't been hard to find her.  
  
Elena stiffened at the feel of a presence behind her, but when she felt arms go around her waist, she smelt his cologne, and the leather of his jacket, she knew who it was.  
  
Neither of them spoke. Elena leaned into the embrace; silent tears dripped down her cheeks as she gazed up at the sky, at the stars and the full moon. Wondering how anyone could actually wish upon stars. Knowing how many she could wish to, knowing not one would make anything better.  
  
Softly Damon lifted a strand of hair from her damp cheeks, not daring to say anything; afraid if he spoke maybe she'd be gone. He could hold her forever, just like this, without Stefan to get in the way, to brake them up. He knew what had happened even without asking. She'd done the unthinkable. Elena had left Stefan.  
  
Have a nice life. But remember I don't want to see you again. He'd said that. To her. The line played over and over in Elena's mind and even the strong arms and warmth from the man that held her could not dissolve the feelings she felt.  
  
Elena sighed, she wondered if she had done the right thing. But when she felt soft butterfly kisses on her temple, a fragment of the doubt went away. She didn't trust her voice to speak yet, knowing that if she spoke she'd crumble, start crying harder again at the thought of how deeply she had hurt Stefan.  
  
I could kill you, brother, for hurting Elena. Damon said in his head, wanting to project the thought to his brother but he didn't.  
  
The fire inside of them, the complete understanding between them, went deeper then words could. There was the fire inside Elena that burned, and the fire inside of himself that burned equally as bright. But at this moment the spark inside the woman he loved was threatening to burn out, slowly it was dwindling and he wouldn't let that happen.  
  
One of the main things that he loved about her was that spark, the fire inside her that challenged his own. In his opinion, his little brother should have known.  
  
When you play with fire you get burnt. It's the same with her. When will you learn, brother? When?  
  
Elena hadn't moved positions, she was leaning her head against his chest, head tilted upwards to the sky. She looked ethereal in that moment, with the moon's light washing over her face, subtly enhancing her looks. Her blue eyes sparkled with the remaining tears, her blond hair shined under the light. Damon held her closer to him, his chin resting on her head wanting to bury his face in her hair.  
  
He held her tightly to him, listening to her breathe, feeling her stomach rise and fall.  
  
I'm not going to loose you this time. I will love you the way you want to be loved. I'll be there when you need me. Damon thought.  
  
He had never made a promise to Elena. Except when she had been dying in Katherine's crypt; when she made Stefan promise them to look out for each other. But that hadn't been Damon saying anything. Stefan had more like promised for the both of them.  
  
His thoughts drifted to that night, when he had felt like his world was falling at his feet, when he realized the woman he loved was going to die, and that he had never told her he loved her.  
  
He'd been unfair and unkind to her most of the time and he regretted it, and she didn't know how much he wanted to take it all back. He'd cried for the first time in about 500 years. He'd cried for her, for the fact that she was dying for him, for his lousy life that he spent treating people like the dirt he walked on. For the life he spent stalking and tormenting her.  
  
Elena was giving her last breath to make sure he got along with his brother.  
  
Even if she didn't know it, he had kept his word.  
  
In his way he had looked after Stefan. It'd been hard, and not easy for either of the two, but he had. And he was going to take care of Elena. 


	12. Chapter 11

Italian words used:  
  
1. Oh Mio Dio = Oh My God  
  
2. Perche = Why  
  
3. Perche questo accadare = Why is this happening  
  
~~~~  
  
  
  
Stefan turned at the sound of a footstep.  
  
"Bonnie!" He said, mildly surprised.  
  
"Stefan…."  
  
"Don't, Bonnie. Don't even say it."  
  
"She's gone, Stefan. And, well….I knew all about it, all along."  
  
"I know she's--WHAT?" Stefan did a double take. "You knew and didn't say anything?" Stefan had momentarily forgotten his hurt and his rage surfaced again.  
  
"I was going to tell you…. But…. Elena….she wouldn't let me." Bonnie was having trouble talking. She didn't know what to say.  
  
"I didn't come here to fight Stefan. I knew you probably needed someone to talk to." Bonnie pleaded.  
  
The look of anguish in his eyes was making her feel sick.  
  
"Bonnie the last thing I need right now is you--"  
  
"The _first_ thing you need right now is me. You can't just be alone right now. I know you Stefan and I know how you can get. Those 6 months without Elena nearly killed you. Do you really think I'm going to sit back and watch you slowly torment yourself over Elena being permanently gone from you?"  
  
There was a sigh. Stefan opened his mouth to say something, then shut it.  
  
"How stupid do you think I am Stefan? Everyone automatically thinks I'm the little kitten, the one who needs to be taken care of and who can't do a damned thing for herself. Well guess what? They're wrong!"  
  
Stefan was taken back by the look in Bonnie's normally child-like brown eyes. They were serious and wide, staring at him with emotion. Her face was slightly colored pink and her curly hair was a tad disheveled. She was attractive, looked older and he liked it.  
  
Remorse over took him. How could that have came into my mind when Elena just left? He took a step back from Bonnie, wishing that she would leave.  
  
Bonnie took a deep breath. "You need me, Stefan. I refuse to see you kill yourself over Elena when you know she's not coming back!"  
  
The way she said it hit him with a force. He realized it was true. She wasn't ever going to come home again, and run into his arms. He'd never get to curl up beside her and hold her close or smell her hair damp from the shower.  
  
He'd never touch her lips or feel her body again. _Oh Mio Dio_. Stefan put his hands to his face and turned away from the fiery red head before him as tears came unyielding. He leaned against the windowpane, his forehead against the cool glass and cried. For everything he'd lost.  
  
"Oh Stefan." Bonnie said softly. "I'm sorry."  
  
He shook his head. The way she'd said his name. That 'Oh Stefan'. She'd sounded so like her. He couldn't take this. _Perche? Perche me? Perche questo accadere?_  
  
Bonnie put her hand on his shoulder and he turned. She put her arms around him, almost not even touching him, but he almost clung to her.  
  
So Bonnie kept her arms around him, holding him a little closer then before and let him cry. She was the only one there and he needed someone.  
  
They both knew that. It wasn't wrong; it was the only thing to do. 


	13. Chapter 12

"Do you love him?"  
  
A sigh. "I--" A pause.  
  
Damon held her closer to him, wrapping the sheets around her. She'd been tired so he'd brought her back to where he was residing; an two hours or so away from where Stefan lived.  
  
"No." She shook her head adding, "I do care about him though. I can't _not_ care that I hurt him. But if you think I'll go back, I won't."  
  
She wrapped her arms around him, placing her head on his chest, her blond hair spilled across.  
  
He didn't need to say it, Elena knew he loved her. Just sometimes she wished he'd open up.  
  
"I just hope he's okay," Elena stated softly.  
  
"He is. Bonnie's there right?"  
  
"Bonnie, oh she must have heard it all!" Elena replied. She paused, then added, "Besides, Bonnie has Matt."  
  
"Oh trust me. Matt's not who she wants."  
  
Elena picked her head up. "You mean....?" Elena brightened.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Elena smiled, but soon her moment of light heartedness vanished.  
  
She sighed. "Oh Damon. I hope she helps him. I really do."  
  
He brought her fingers to his lips.  
  
"Relax." He kissed one finger. "She--," he kissed another, "will. It'll be-- ," his lips touched another, "....okay." He kissed her pinky, his eyes studying hers. He leaned up and then kissed her.  
  
She parted her lips to speak but Damon placed a finger on her lips softly.  
  
"Shhh."  
  
Elena bit her lip and shook her head. "Not now."  
  
Damon grinned. "You really think I'm all about getting you naked?"  
  
Elena blushed. "No…."  
  
"Oh you know you do."  
  
She shook her head again. Damon sat up and leaned close to her ear. He traced a finger softly down her arm as he brushed his lips across her cheek. Then he whispered, "And you know you like it."  
  
Elena couldn't help smile back. She brought her lips down to kiss him but they had merely touched lips when he pulled back suddenly. She almost fell on top of him, but her hand shot out on the mattress to steady herself.  
  
"But I wasn't trying to get you undressed." Damon smirked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Damon smirked again. "Honestly, I wasn't. Though last time I checked, I believe it was very good cure for depression…."  
  
Elena rolled her eyes. "Damon…."  
  
"So, my dear, why not give modern medicine a try?" He slipped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her back down to him. 


	14. Chapter 13

It was one month later and Elena had just walked in from hunting. She still did not touch humans; rarely at least. Damon was lounging on the couch flicking through the channels. "I'm back," she called to him.  
  
Elena walked in and he lifted a hand in response. She sat down next to him and crossed her legs. He was watching the news though why he was watching it was a mystery to her. He glanced up. "Find any chipmunks for dinner, my dear?"  
  
She laughed. "Very funny."  
  
"I was serious," her replied, still looking at the television set.  
  
"What are you watching."  
  
"It appears to be the news to me…." He indicated the reporter with a sweep of his hand.  
  
"I _knew_ that," Elena retorted to his sarcasm. "But what do you find so interesting?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing."  
  
Elena shook her head. He grinned.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower." Elena said and got up.  
  
"Now _that_ interests me; mind if I join?" Faint amusment was in his dark eyes.  
  
Elena waved a hand. "Yes." And at his attempt to ask again, "I mean it."  
  
He made a face and flicked the remote again. Elena headed upstairs.  
  
Once in their room, she closed the blinds and removed her clothes. She slipped on a black satin robe and stepped into the bathroom. Elena ran the bath water then sat on the edge and waited.  
  
A while later Elena sat up, pushed the drain button down and slowly watched the water disappear. She got up, reached for a towel and began to dry herself off. She slipped on the robe again and walked into the bedroom. Elena put on a pair of underwear and a bra. Then she opened a draw, bent to get a bottle of cream and felt hands on her bare shoulders. Damon bent his head and placed a kiss on her neck.  
  
"I've come to the conclusion that you don't listen."  
  
There was a slight laugh. "I just don't like being rejected."  
  
"I didn't reject you." Elena told him. She poured cream into the palm of her hand, and began to rub it into her arm. Damon took the bottle from her hands and dropped it back into the draw. He turned her in his arms and drew her to him.  
  
He knew she could rarely resist him so it wasn't hard getting her to respond. She fell onto the bed; her arms still locked around his neck when the phone rang.  
  
She wanted to ignore it but she couldn't. Elena went to reach for the phone but Damon mumbled against her lips, "Forget it."  
  
She gently pushed him up and off her. "I have a feeling it's important."  
  
Damon muttered something and obeyed. Elena picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" Elena's voice became monotone. "Stefan."  
  
"Damn brother always knew how to ruin things. I meant it when I said he created problems." Damon said, not even trying in the least to be quiet about it. He wanted Stefan to hear.  
  
*Hush Damon!* Elena sent him in his head. She motioned for him to be quiet.  
  
Damon raised his hands, palms upwards, in a gesture of defeat, "All right."  
  
Besides, he was curious on why his brother called anyway. It had, after all, been over a month since they'd broken up. He lay with his hands behind his head, casually watching her. He studied the way Elena held the phone, twisting the cord between her fingers.  
  
"Uh huh… Yes, Yes. I know Stefan, let's not get into that…." She faltered for a moment; a long silence dragged on. All this time she had been careful to keep emotions from coming through.  
  
Then, "Oh my God! Are you all right? And Bonnie? I don't care! We're coming. We'll be over soon." And with that, Elena hung up.  
  
"What? What do you mean 'we're coming?" Damon inquired, obviously annoyed as he bolted up.  
  
"Something is happening over there. Someone is after Stefan, and he needs help." Elena replied, her voice tight.  
  
"He's always in trouble," Damon grumbled. "Who is it _this_ time?"  
  
"He doesn't know."  
  
"He wants both of us, I assume?"  
  
"Yes." She nodded.  
  
"So we're going?" Damon asked, sighing.  
  
"We're going." 


	15. Chapter 14

Italian words used:  
  
1) Mia cara = My dear  
  
2) Stasera sarÃ² buono = Tonight I'll be good  
  
~~~~  
  
The ride there was anything but wonderful. Elena sat tense and apprehensive in the passenger's seat, while Damon drove. He looked annoyed, tired, but not worried. At least that's what she picked up.  
  
Elena sighed, and relaxed a bit into the seat, still tense as ever though. "Why does this always happen? Can't we just live in peace without all this?"  
  
"Guess not. Stefan always gets himself into scrapes. In fact-"  
  
"Don't start. Not now. Please."  
  
"Fine." He turned a corner. "But I thought he never wanted to see you again."  
  
Elena made a noise in her throat and shrugged. "I don't know. Go figure. We all say things we don't mean. I have a feeling things won't go all sweet and sugary once we arrive but he's not going to kill me."  
  
"Better not lay a damn hand on you." Damon murmured.  
  
Elena shot him a look. "He wouldn't."  
  
There was no reply. So she said, softly, "Look, Damon, neither of us is in the best of moods. I don't want a fight."  
  
Damon glanced in the rearview mirror. "Neither do I _mia cara. Stasera sarÃ² buono_.  
  
She nodded.  
  
Elena hoped they could get this over and done with soon. 


	16. Chapter 15

They pulled up the driveway that Elena had walked on so many times. Elena got out and slowly walked up the path to the front door. She no longer had a key and it felt odd ringing the doorbell to her own house. Well, it wasn't hers any longer. She faltered, her finger lingering on the button as realization hit.  
  
Stefan opened the door, his eyes widening for a moment. There was a very uncomfortable silence as he studied her. She blinked, regaining her composure as she lifted her chin. He didn't even notice Damon was behind her until he spoke.  
  
"You called us?"  
  
Stefan looked startled for a second, then for a moment his green eyes darkened with anger at his brother.  
  
"Yes. I did." He said slowly.  
  
"Well? Are you going to make us stand out here all night- or shall I say morning?" Damon questioned.  
  
Stefan's eyes clouded with irritation as he backed up and swept his hand back, a gesture to come in. He shut the door behind them. Elena studied the house and saw nothing had really changed. She followed Damon and Stefan into the living room where she saw Bonnie.  
  
"Elena!"  
  
"Hello Bonnie." Elena said, a little unsure of what else to say.  
  
Stefan sat down beside Bonnie, while Elena sat down on an opposite couch and Damon remained lounging in the doorway. She looked at him for a long moment, and his dark eyes burned at her. Finally, he joined her.  
  
"So what is this all about?" Elena asked tiredly.  
  
Stefan was looking nervous, with Elena being in the same room again. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Bonnie. The two, Elena noticed, had grown very close in the past month.  
  
Good for them. She thought.  
  
"Someone is after me. Like I said on the phone, I don't know who."  
  
"Bet it's Mrs. Flowers. Old lady always knew too much. I always wondered how the hell she knew about us." Damon said, stretching back lazily into the couch.  
  
"Can you be serious for once?" Asked Bonnie.  
  
Damon threw Bonnie a wicked grin. Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the ground. Stefan threw him a warning look, which Damon answered with a shrug.  
  
"Anyway, how do you know about this whole scenerio?" Damon asked, not looking at his brother, or at Bonnie anymore, but at the wall to the right of them, for no apparent reason.  
  
"What kind of question is that? How do I know-"  
  
"Stefan...." Bonnie pleaded and he settled down. He ran his hand through his hair again. Elena found herself looking at the soft tousles of hair, remembering how it felt to run her fingers through them. She shook her head, and moved closer to Damon, who draped an arm around her waist.  
  
"Anyway. As I was saying," Stefan continued with a pointed look at Damon. "I know because lately I had been getting vibes. Sensing another Power. Not like Klaus or even Katherine. It was different."  
  
"Could it be Tyler?" Elena wondered.  
  
"No, it wasn't werewolf either. More like....," he paused, "--more like a witch."  
  
"Witch? That's odd," replied Elena.  
  
"I know. And what's even more odd is that it seemed to be very close. Very powerful as well. As if I knew them and they were right around here."  
  
Damon questioned, "How did you know that they'd kill anyone that got in their way?"  
  
Stefan sighed exasperatedly. "Oh, I don't know. I made it up!" He shook his head tiredly at Damon's searing expression, then said, "There was a letter. It came in the mail the other day."  
  
"May we see it?" Elena asked Stefan.  
  
"If you like." Stefan got up and came back a moment later with a piece of paper.  
  
Elena took it, careful not to touch fingers as she did. She glanced at it.  
  
"Well it basically says here that if anyone tries to stop anything they do they won't hesitate to annihilate them," Elena read.  
  
"But what is it they plan to do?" Damon asked her, dark eyes flickering towards the paper.  
  
"It doesn't exactly say."  
  
"I get the feeling they want me for some sort of Power supply. Sort of like Tyler's initiation. If they kill me, then they'll gain more Power." Stefan said.  
  
"And you're Powerful? I don't see what killing you would do for _anyone_." Damon mumbled.  
  
"Well in a sense he does have Power. It takes strength to resist his nature the way he does." Bonnie told Damon who responded by ignoring the comment, and brushing a strand of midnight hair out of his eyes.  
  
Bonnie was silent for a moment, sensing tension forming, before speaking again. "So we called you here because we need your help. We've been through things like this before and together we can stop it."  
  
The question is can we stay together without problems? Elena thought to herself.  
  
"I don't know about you, but it's 2 : 30 in the morning and I'm beat." Damon said. "Can we possibly talk about this is the morning?"  
  
"He's right." Bonnie yawned.  
  
"Uh…where are we-" Elena started.  
  
"A guest room." Bonnie said. Then she added, "I'm sorry, I know this is hard. It's hard for everyone."  
  
Elena nodded, but did not speak. After a moment though she did.  
  
"The one at the end of the hall, on the other end from where…. yours, I suppose, is located, is the one we'll use."  
  
She stood and Damon did the same. Without a glance back, she walked into the front hall, retrieved her bags, and walked up the bare wood stairs, past the room she used to sleep in.  
  
She paused only for a moment in front of it, and continued down to the other end of the hall. 


	17. Chapter 16

Stefan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Bonnie lay next to him, but she was asleep. _Elena_. Her presence was over powering. The thought of her, down the hall sleeping with Damon made him crazy. He was still in love with her, and possibly he might be forever. He had grown to love Bonnie but not with the passion he had for Elena. He'd never made love with any other woman but Elena. But that was before.  
  
Stefan looked at her, her curls on the pillow, her body curled in a ball. She looked peaceful. He wondered how she could possibly sleep.  
  
That whole meeting had been torture for him. She was beautiful, even tired and weary. She was everything she always had been. She was no longer his. Having Elena right there, across from him, and not being about to touch her was excruciating. Seeing her with his brother as well. But then he thought from her perspective. Him with Bonnie.  
  
But why would she care? She doesn't love me. It's him she wants.  
  
He didn't know how he was going to make it, living with her for however long it took for them to solve this whole mess. If this thing, whatever it was, hurt Elena he'd kill it with his own bare hands. If Elena got hurt trying to save him, he'd end it. Right then, right there.  
  
He'd try to sleep but he doubted he would. He listened very hard. He could hear a faint murmur of their voices. Even with his hearing Stefan couldn't make out what they were saying since the door was closed and the house was large. Damn them. Stefan put his arms around Bonnie's little form, and moved closer to her. He shut his eyes. It was going to be a very long night.  
  
_________________  
  
Elena sighed. She didn't want to be here. Damon emerged from the bathroom a moment later. Elena opened some more draws and finished putting her clothes into them. She slipped under the soft covers and clicked off the lamp. Damon slid in on the other side. He propped himself up on one elbow.  
  
"Damon, I don't know how I can do this. Be here with him _and_ fight this _thing_ whatever it is."  
  
"It'll be all right." He smiled at her and kissed her softly. But the kiss grew more needy, deeper. His hands started to slip under her nightgown. Elena pushed him away. "Not now. Damon please."  
  
He groaned. "Elena."  
  
"This isn't our home. I don't want them hearing anything."  
  
"Stefan and Bonnie are all the way down the hall."  
  
"It's not right, Damon. You know it." Elena sat up.  
  
"First downstairs you were odd and now this," Damon said. He was very agitated.  
  
"Odd? What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You were totally focused on him. Elena don't play me for a fool, I know what I saw. You're still in love with him."  
  
"Why are you so insecure about my feelings?" Elena asked, her voice was starting to rise.  
  
"Insecure? I am _not_ insecure Elena." Damon's voice took on an icy edge.  
  
"Then why don't you believe me when I say I love you! You're still afraid I'll go running back to Stefan!"  
  
"_Afraid_?" Damon spat the word like a curse.  
  
Elena pushed the covers off and got out of bed.  
  
"_I_ am not afraid Elena."  
  
"Damn it, Damon. Then what's the problem?" Elena demanded.  
  
"Do you still love him?" Damon questioned intensely.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Answer it! Do you?" Damon had gotten out of bed as well, and was standing in front of her.  
  
"No!" She shouted. "It's just--"  
  
"Oh why don't you go back to him!"  
  
For God's sake Damon! It's you I love. YOU!" Elena yelled.  
  
There was a moment of silence before Damon spoke again, his voice cold and quiet.  
  
"When you were downstairs Elena, there was an expression on your face that was not hard for anyone to see."  
  
"And what was that?"  
  
"You were obviously thinking about him!"  
  
Elena flinched. She knew he had a point, but she wouldn't give in. "You are afraid and you know it, damn it! Don't lie to me! Why are you doing this?" She didn't care who heard anymore.  
  
"Don't lie to _you_? You're lying to _me_! I know there's still feelings!"  
  
"There's not!"  
  
"He's always going to be on your mind isn't he? _How long_ has he been in your thoughts Elena?" Damon asked brutally cold.  
  
"He hasn't! The whole time we've been together it's been you I think about!" Her voice was wavering.  
  
"I don't believe you. When we make love, is it him you think of?" Damon's voice was calm now, deadly calm and still maliciously cold.  
  
Elena took a step back. His voice was making her uneasy and the question had struck her dumb.  
  
"Damon," she felt a familiar stinging in her eyes that signaled oncomming tears, "How could you even think that?" Elena managed to say, her voice barely audible.  
  
"Because I think it's true!" For a moment afterwards, Damon seemed to falter, and something seemed to die in his eyes where a fiery glint had been when he saw a trace of tears.  
  
"Then why don't you leave!" She shouted, her voice coming back to her. Straightening herself she blinked away the tears. She was shaking in rage and hurt. Elena didn't know which she felt more: contempt or pain.  
  
His black eyes flashed. "Certainly."  
  
Damon turned sharply and stormed out, slamming the door. Elena flinched.  
  
Elena moved over to the bed and put her head in her hands. She didn't know anymore. Maybe there were still feelings. Well, she was going to put an end to it. 


	18. Chapter 17

Damon sat outside, on the curb. A moment ago he had been fuming, ready to go down the hall and kill his brother, but now he'd cooled down a little. He'd been thinking. He didn't like yelling at her, didn't like seeing her upset but she could be very hard to live with. This he knew. What he didn't know was why she just wouldn't admit that there was still something she felt for his brother.  
  
Stefan's always first. Everyone loves St. Stefan. He thought mocking, bitter. He knew he had made a mistake about saying Elena thought of Stefan when they made love. He knew she didn't; it had just came out. When he got angry, anything was likely to just slip out.  
  
He knew Elena loved him, but he was angry she still couldn't forget his brother. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered with her. But he knew the answer. Because he really did love her.  
  
Damon sighed. Why won't you just tell me the truth? But other then being annoyed at her still feeling attraction to his younger brother, Damon had after all told her he'd be good tonight. He knew how Elena felt about arguments, and he had been a jerk about the sex tonight. They were both just very tired and very tense about the whole situation. It always was difficult being together in the same room with Stefan, for either of them.  
  
Stefan really does cause problems. If he could just disappear from Earth, the world would be a more peaceful place…. Damon laughed aloud at the thought.  
  
He wondered what she was doing. Angry? Crying still? Maybe she was just hurt.  
  
Damon kicked a stone, sending it skidding across the street. He really wanted to tell her he was sorry, he just didn't know how. He couldn't just waltz in there and tell her he was terribly sorry. He didn't even know if she'd speak to him. And he didn't want to get too soft on her; he just wasn't like that. Most of the time anyway.  
  
____________________________________  
  
Stefan woke up hearing a rather loud slam of a door. He glanced at Bonnie. Deep sleeper. She hadn't heard, but he knew Elena and Damon had obviously had a fight. He got up, walked into the hall and made his way to her room. He could feel her hurt from where he was. He couldn't help it; they'd been through too much to ignore each other.  
  
He'd hurt her enough as it was and she had hurt him.  
  
There was a faint light coming from under the door but there was silence. At least she is not crying, thought Stefan. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.  
  
It was time to clear things up. It was time to face each other. 


	19. Chapter 18

There was a knock at the door. Elena didn't say anything and the door opened a crack. Stefan peered in. He didn't say a word as he walked in, shutting the door softly. He came to the bed where she sat, traces of tears still on her face.  
  
"Elena."  
  
She looked at him. "What?" She asked weakly.  
  
"Listen, we've both been through a lot and we never really had a chance to talk."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about, Stefan. You didn't want to see me again, and I left," Elena answered tersely.  
  
"There is. You know there is," He said quietly.  
  
She didn't reply. She looked down at the blankets then back at him. He studied her. Her pale hair fell over her face; her lithe body was only in a thin nightgown. God you're beautiful. Stefan thought. He wasn't even aware that he had moved closer to her until she said, "Don't."  
  
He sat back, startled and embarrassed as Bonnie entered his thoughts.  
  
"Don't fool yourself, Stefan. I'm not coming home to you."  
  
"I know." He said, pain evident in his voice. "That's not what I came here for."  
  
"Then what did you come here for?"  
  
"To say sorry. To say that I didn't mean to hurt you when I told you to go."  
  
His green eyes looked so torn, so lost and pained Elena felt like crying for him.  
  
"You had every right to say what you did. What I did was wrong. I'm the one who should be sorry."  
  
"I just want you to know that even if we aren't together anymore, I'm here for you if you ever need me. I'll be here, Elena."  
  
"Oh, Stefan." She shook her head. He took her in his arms and she didn't resist this time. She started to cry again.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't deserve this from you. Not for what I did to you," She said through tears.  
  
"It's over now, what's done is done. If there's one thing you taught me, it was not to reminisce in the past," Stefan told her. Though, he couldn't help the sensations that over came him holding Elena this close again.  
  
She pulled back. She looked at him; her blue eyes lost in his green, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I don't want us to hate each other, okay?"  
  
"I could never hate you Elena." The feel of her lips was enough to make him want her. But he tried as best he could not to try and kiss her or say that he still loved her. For her sake he was going to put his love for her in the past.  
  
"I'm sorry, Stefan. I swear to you I am. But understand I don't love-"  
  
"I know, Elena," he said softly. "I know."  
  
She nodded. "Good."  
  
There was a moment of silence again as he just looked at her. But he shook himself from his thoughts and said, "I think you should go to sleep. It's ridiculously late," said Stefan.  
  
Before she could answer they both turned as someone else walked into the room. A sardonic, malicious voice came from the doorway.  
  
"And _I_ think, _little brother_, that you have some explaining to do." 


	20. Chapter 19

Italian words used:  
  
1) Elena non Ã¨ il vostro. Lei amare me, fratello piccolo = Elena does not love you, she loves me, little brother  
  
2) Buona notte, amore = Good night, love  
  
3) Bastardo = (hmm..) Bastard  
  
~~~~  
  
There was fury blazing in his dark eyes. Damon looked at Elena as if what he saw proved what he had thought.  
  
He turned his eyes to his brother, and said slowly, "_Elena non Ã¨ il vostro. Lei amare me, fratello piccolo._"  
  
Then to Elena, "What do we have here, my dear?"  
  
"It's nothing, Stefan just came--"  
  
"To have a little chat at this time in the morning, I suppose?"  
  
Elena opened her mouth to say something but Stefan spoke. "I had come to apologize."  
  
"Just as I left. How _convienent_. And so early in the morning,too. Did you wait for me to leave for privacy reasons?"  
  
Stefan rose from the bed and moved to his brother. "I didn't do anything to her, Damon. What I said was true. We needed to talk." Stefan's voice was annoyed and he looked as if he wanted to smash Damon's jeering smile off his face.  
  
"I see. And did you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then leave. Now. Or I will do it myself." Damon told his brother, and then gave one of his lightening quick smiles, showing perfectly white, straight teeth.  
  
Stefan glared at his brother; green eyes intently focused on the shorter siblings face. "I was going to, before you came in."  
  
"Well then, might as well finish what you started then. Because believe me brother, now is not the time to be asking for trouble."  
  
"You want a fight, Damon? Do you really want to? Because I will kill you, right here, right now." Stefan's hands clentched into fists.  
  
"Careful, _brother_. Watch your mouth or your precious Bonnie won't be seeing you tomorrow. I'll make sure of it." Damon's eyes were hard, but there was a flicker of amused at the latter part of what he said. He was enjoying this.  
  
Elena had been watching all this time, blue eyes wide.  
  
Stefan balled his fingers into a fist. He raised his hand and swung at Damon. He hit him square in the jaw. Before Damon could react Stefan punched him again. Elena's mouth opened but no sound came out. Damon's head snapped back and then he slowly turned back to face his brother. His eyes flashed wildly and his lip raised in an angry sneer, distorting his handsome features.  
  
As Damon went to strike back Elena jumped up. Stupidly, before she realized what she was doing she was standing right in between them, her arms stretched outwards.  
  
"Stefan! Damon! Stop! Stop it right now!" Elena screamed. She was furious. She latched onto Damon's arms so he couldn't strike back at Stefan.  
  
Stefan glanced at her; Damon raised his midnight eyes to look at her as well, the sneer gone from his face.  
  
"This is _ridiculous_. If you both want to act like fools, go ahead." Elena shook her head. "But Damon, Stefan did just come to say he was sorry, okay? Why don't we just end it." She was still hanging onto Damon's arm. Finally she let go.  
  
Damon did not say a word and for a moment it seemed neither of them were going to. Until Stefan shook his dark head. "Fine. You're right. Elena I'm sorry, now if you'll excuse me it's _late_." With one look of pure hatred tossed back at Damon, Stefan left.  
  
Damon watched his brother leave, rubbing the spot where Stefan had hit. When the door was shut and he was sure Stefan was gone, he turned to Elena.  
  
"What? I came in here to apologize and I walked in on you two. What do you expect?"  
  
"More maturity from you!"  
  
"I'm supposed to be fine with finding you with Stefan after we just had an argument about all of that?" He paused, seeing she wasn't satified. "And he hit me! I didn't touch the fool." Damon asked her.  
  
She shook her head again, blond whisps flying into her face. "You were going to. And you should _trust_ me. You should know that I wouldn't betray you. "  
  
This caught Damon off gaurd. He had been prepared to say something sharp and sarcastic back. For a moment he just stared at her.  
  
She saved him from having to say anything. "Look, I am sick and tired of fighting. It's about 4 in the morning and to say the least, I don't feel like arguing. Can we just forget it?"  
  
Damon sighed, exasperated. "Fine."  
  
He got undressed and got into bed on the oposite side of her. Elena lay on her back, staring into the darkness. He looked at her. He tried to put his arms around her but she brushed him off. He knew she was angry. "Elena."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're angry," He stated.  
  
There was no response from her.  
  
"We both agreed we didn't want to fight."  
  
"I know. We're not." She said simply.  
  
He sighed again.  
  
Again no response from the woman next to him. He tried again to put his arms around her but she knocked his hands away again. "My God, Elena. Are you going to drag this on forever?"  
  
"No. Forever is a long time. But maybe until tomorrow."  
  
"Elena. Please."  
  
"You said you were going to be good tonight. You went against your word. How can I trust you when you lie to me."  
  
"I'm sorry all right? Everything has been out of whack since _he_ first called."  
  
Elena finally turned onto her side to face him. "Do you ever say Stefan's name?"  
  
"Why? That has nothing to do with anything." His dark brows drew together, forming a crease in his forhead.  
  
"Just answer me. Do you?"  
  
"I've said it before."  
  
"Say it now."  
  
"Wh-"  
  
"Just say it."  
  
He paused, but then said grudgingly, "Stefan. There, happy?"  
  
"Almost." Elena replied.  
  
"Now what? And don't make me say it again."  
  
"Apologize to me."  
  
"I'm sorry, Elena. I'm a jealous _bastardo_."  
  
"I know. Now prove you're sorry."  
  
He moved closer and took her in his arms. He held her close and kissed her shoulder softly. "I am sorry, honest."  
  
She lifted her head. He kissed her gently on the lips, then kissed her cheek and then her lips once more.  
  
They just looked at each other, her blue eyes lost in his black eyes. Some connection, the understanding that went too far to put into words, passed between them. Her heart thudded in her chest. They loved each other and they both knew how much.  
  
"I love you," she whispered.  
  
"Good," Damon said, and held her closer.  
  
"Will you promise to be good?"  
  
"We'll see. Maybe I'll surprise you. You'll have to wait. Now go to sleep."  
  
She sighed. "Fine. Good night."  
  
"_Buona notte, amore_." He said softly, pulling the blankets tighter around them. He projected a thought to his brother in his mind: *I may have let this go easily, but that's because I love her. You, little brother,won't be getting off so easily*.  
  
There was no response but Damon knew he heard. 


	21. Chapter 20

Italian words used:  
  
1) Non faccia lo stupido = Don't be stupid  
  
~~~~  
  
Bonnie was still asleep as Stefan got up the following morning. He went downstairs and sat in the kitchen at the table, knowing Damon was up and would be coming down soon. He had heard his threat last night and knew he was in for a not so pleasant morning. But it was hardly as if mornings with Damon in the same house could be pleasant.  
  
There was a sound in the hall and soon, as Stefan predicted, Damon walked casually into the kitchen.  
  
Calmly Stefan asked, "Where's Elena?"  
  
"Still in bed, if it's any of your business. Which it doesn't seem to be." Damon told his brother, lounging against the glossy wood countertop in the spotless kitchen. His black hair was brushed and he looked refreshed, not tired at all. He was dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, but missing his jacket.  
  
He folded his arms across his chest and said calmly, "I haven't forgotten last night, brother."  
  
Stefan groaned, casting a look of hatred to his brother. "So what do you want from me, Damon? I told you it was nothing and I understand that Elena is now yours. I'm not an ignorant, uncomprehending child."  
  
"Oh really?" Damon asked amused.  
  
"_Non faccia lo stupido_, Damon. I went to her room purposely for one sole reason. And that was to make amends. I don't want to live in the same house with Elena and I going around ignoring each other. It just isn't right. Whether you like it or not we had something once and we can't hate each other."  
  
Still relaxed and lounged against the counter, Damon sent a blank stare Stefan's way but did not reply.  
  
"The last thing I feel like doing is fighting with you over trivial matters, Damon. We've all had a rough night and we don't need another arduous day."  
  
Damon shrugged.  
  
Timidly Elena approached and then walked into the kitchen as well. Her blond hair wasn't tousled from sleep and her nightgown now had a robe over it. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked softly.  
  
"No, not at all." Damon said, giving Stefan a smirk.  
  
Elena took a seat at the table, across from Stefan. "Morning, Stefan. Get any sleep?"  
  
"Yes. A little."  
  
"Good."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"Fine. I think," She replied.  
  
"We had a rough night," Damon said, lecherously, giving Stefan a satisfied smirk at his brother's expression.  
  
"Very funny," Elena said, rolling her eyes. "Nothing happened-like that. I mean, well you know-Oh never mind," Elena said, waving her hands to dismiss the whole topic of conversation.  
  
She tried to switch topics. "Stefan, did Bonnie tell Matt?"  
  
As Stefan looked aggrieved, Elena felt guilt as well. Her turn of topic was not the best. "Yes, she called him about a week ago. He wasn't extremely upset, there had been problems between him and her anyway but you can imagine how he must be feeling towards me. Taking his girl _again_. I will make it up to him somehow. He's a great kid. I'd hate to see us so strained and tense like we were before." Stefan said.  
  
Elena didn't know what to say. And Damon spoke before she could think of anything anyway. "Speaking of the girl, is she as fiery in bed as she is in life, little brother?"  
  
Stefan seriously looked embarrassed and then angered.  
  
"Damon!" Elena said.  
  
Damon gave her the look of polite inquiry she'd seen so may times. "What?"  
  
Elena shook her head and Stefan said, "Why would you want to know? Planning on trying her out when Elena-" Stefan started but Elena cut in. "No. Stop you two."  
  
"I was only curious," Damon said.  
  
Elena sneered at the comment, irritated.  
  
At this moment Bonnie walked in. "Curious about what?" She was wearing a big sweatshirt, and a pair of shorts. Surprisingly, and to her relief, Elena saw Damon's eyes did not stray to her legs.  
  
Stefan looked panicked for a moment thinking Damon might say something rude, but then, at the way Bonnie looked, had to turn away to stop from laughing. She was groggy from sleep, her hair was a wreck from just waking up and she looked half-dead.  
  
Elena bit her lip from laughing as well. "Morning, sleepyhead."  
  
"What can I say? I'm not a morning person," Bonnie replied sheepishly.  
  
"We kind of figured," Damon said. She looked up startled, as if she hadn't even noticed he was in the room before that moment. She blushed and hurried over to the cabinet to get the coffeepot.  
  
"Coffee anyone?"  
  
There were scattered no's. "Guess I'm the only one in need of good old caffeine."  
  
"I think Elena might need some. We had a rough night." Damon replied again. His voice was as capricious as his smile.  
  
"Will you stop that? We did not." Elena told Damon, but her voice was not annoyed as it had been before. But even she couldn't help but let out a slight laugh. Just the way he said it, so believable. She wouldn't be surprised if Bonnie didn't believe her protests. Right then her brown eyes were on Elena, wide and startled. Her face blushed furiously again.  
  
Elena smiled in spite of herself and shook her head. "Ignore him, Bonnie."  
  
Damon sent her a wolfish grin and straightened himself. He walked over to the table and impassively took a seat next to Elena. "So, my dear, would you like me to fetch the neighbor's pet rabbit for your breakfast?"  
  
Elena smiled wryly and let out a light laugh. "What is with you this morning?"  
  
"What ever do you mean?"  
  
Elena ignored that comment and replied, "No rabbit. I am capable of finding the sources of my food by myself, thank you. And I'm not hungry right now."  
  
Stefan, who had been sitting silent this whole time, now got up to help Bonnie. He got the cup out of the cabinet and poured the coffee for her. "Sit, will you? You look like you're going to collapse any minute. I don't know why, you got plenty of sleep. You really aren't a morning person."  
  
He motioned for her to sit. She obeyed.  
  
The only seat that was vacant besides Stefan's at the moment was the one next to Damon. Damon saw her pause and said amused, "Bonnie, are you afraid of me?"  
  
Her brown eyes stared at Elena. Then when Elena didn't say anything, she thrust her chin out. "No." And sat down, stiffly, in the chair next to him.  
  
Elena smiled again and sighed. "Will you leave her alone? You torment her enough don't you think?"  
  
He shrugged. "No. I don't torment her. I'm quite nice to her. Aren't I Bonnie?"  
  
She nodded hastily in response.  
  
Stefan brought her the cup of steaming coffee, which she accepted gratefully. She took a sip. "Maxwell House. Good to the last drop," she said for no reason. "I don't know why I said that," she added, at the looks from Elena, Stefan and Damon.  
  
"Anyway, don't we have some sort of investigation we're supposed to be solving?" Damon asked.  
  
"Right. We do." Elena agreed. "When we're finished here, we'll see what we can think of. Though we don't have much to go on right now."  
  
"Better start soon, before I get too bored playing Sherlock Holmes," Damon muttered.  
  
"This is serious," Bonnie replied, taking another sip of her coffee. "We really need to focus."  
  
"Well whoever it is can't be too far, and must be someone who knows Stefan."  
  
"How do you know?" Asked Bonnie.  
  
"We established that the other night. And besides, it's elementary, my dear." Damon replied, attempting at a London accent.  
  
"Oh God," said Elena and everyone at the table rolled their eyes. 


	22. Chapter 21

It was late that afternoon and Elena and Damon were just about to head back inside after hunting when he stopped her on the porch. He knew she was probably going to do something stupid if it concerned his brother's life. Whether he liked it or not, he knew she wouldn't just sit back and watch.  
  
He knew how she thought, understood her ways. He put a hand on her arm to stop her from going inside. She turned to face him.  
  
"I've been watching you lately. I know how you feel," he told her.  
  
"Well I have a right to be upset. Everything happens to us and it's like we can never live normally. The one time I think it's finally over, Stefan calls and is in trouble."  
  
"He's always in trouble. It's a bit repetitious. But that's besides the matter. Elena, I know how you act. You're going to get yourself hurt."  
  
"What do you expect me to do?….  
  
"Sit back and watch?" He finished for her. "No. But I don't want you doing anything that's going to get you hurt or killed."  
  
"I need to do something! Damon, don't you see, it wouldn't just be me. We're all here, we're all needed, and we all have to help."  
  
"If it means you're going to get yourself killed again for him...."  
  
"I died for both of you last time." Elena snapped.  
  
"Well if it involves you dying for anyone, you are not going to."  
  
"Then what do you suggest I do?"  
  
"Leave. Go back home and leave it up to me. You can take Bonnie with you."  
  
"Absolutely not!"  
  
Before Damon could protest any further the front door swung open and Stefan was there.  
  
"Little brother, always interfering at the wrong times."  
  
"Well I heard you two out here. So what's going on? I hope you're not arguing over what's happening to me."  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that it might not be your business? But as a matter of fact we are."  
  
Stefan sighed, shook his head, and ran a hand through his thick hair. "Come in. Why don't we all sit down and talk about everything? Okay?"  
  
Elena nodded to Damon and stepped into the house. Damon walked in after and Stefan shut the door. 


	23. Chapter 22

"We need to do something," said Bonnie urgently.  
  
"Well _that's_ obvious," Damon replied.  
  
"What was going on outside, Damon?" Stefan interrupted.  
  
"I thought it was best if Elena leaves. I told her she could take Bonnie. I know how she acts, she'd get herself killed again. I believe you know it as well as I do, brother."  
  
Stefan turned to face Elena from where he stood in the living room. He seemed pensive. Then he nodded, and answered, "I agree. Elena I think it's best you do as Damon says."  
  
"No." She shook her head stubbornly.  
  
Stefan sighed; he knew how obstinate she was.  
  
"Elena-"  
  
"No, Stefan. I will not leave. This _thing_, whatever it is, _whoever_ it is, is out there and I will not let it hurt any one of the people I love."  
  
"I don't want you putting yourself at risk for my life again."  
  
"I'm not going. I don't care what either of you say."  
  
"Elena you're going. And Bonnie is too." Damon said. "You're not getting involved, I won't allow it."  
  
"Stefan wanted my help, and now he'll get it. We'll do it together. Together we can do it. Alone, you can't. I know it.'" Elena told them.  
  
"I don't care--" Damon was cut off.  
  
"Besides, I changed my mind. I don't like the idea of you risking your life for this." Stefan put in.  
  
Before he could continue, at that moment there was a groan. Bonnie touched her head, her eyes squeezed shut in pain.  
  
"Bonnie!" Elena said, startled.  
  
Stefan looked worried. Damon just stared. Her face had gone deathly pale and her body rigid. When she opened her eyes they were staring, unseeing and wide. When she spoke, it was not the voice they all knew. It was somebody else's.  
  
"Don't touch her." Damon commanded.  
  
The voice from Bonnie spoke, the tone was hushed, but seemed feminine. Not young sounding, oddly old. "The blond one goes, as does the red. The brother shall follow or he'll wind up dead. I told you whom I wanted; I made it very clear. I said no one involved or their death will be here. It's the boy's blood I'll shed, his life I'll take. If his friends come closer, their lives are at stake."  
  
Bonnie pitched forward almost landing on the glass coffee table but Stefan grabbed her to hold her upright. She opened her eyes slowly, groggily.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Elena asked.  
  
"I have no idea. Obviously though it was from this psycho." Bonnie said, rubbing her forehead. She leaned against Stefan.  
  
"And no doubt they are unhappy that we're disobeying them." He replied.  
  
"What do we do?" Bonnie wondered, still looking slightly dazed.  
  
"Well we certainly can't ignore them." Elena answered.  
  
"That threat was it. You heard it as well as I did. Elena, if you stay you'll die." Damon said to her.  
  
"As will _you_ if you stay!" Elena returned heatedly.  
  
"Better me than you. If you died I'd never live with myself."  
  
"I will not leave you, or Stefan, to this creature."  
  
Damon looked exasperated. Clearly this argument could last for days. "Fine. Stay. But you go nowhere, absolutely _nowhere_, out of this house, with out me."  
  
Elena sat back into the couch. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him steadily, keeping her dark blue eyes on his.  
  
"Any idea who that was from Bonnie's trance?" Stefan asked.  
  
"No. Sounded old though, definitely no kid, or young person. They seemed at least 50. Could be older." Elena said, turning her attention slowly back to Stefan.  
  
"Well I am almost positive it was a female." Stefan added.  
  
"That's true. Any 50-year-old women you know of that have a psychotic grudge against you? Personally, I can't think of any insane women who feel  
  
the need to kill you." Elena said.  
  
"I don't know any old women." Stefan said ironically.  
  
"There's always Mrs. Flowers." Damon said, dark amusement in his eyes.  
  
"C'mon. This is no time to joke!" Bonnie exclaimed.  
  
He flashed a grin.  
  
"But really. What does Mrs. Flowers have against you? Nothing that I could think of." Elena said, ignoring Damon.  
  
"It's got to be someone else." Bonnie told them all.  
  
"But who?" Stefan voiced the question they were all thinking.  
  
"We'll find out soon enough." Damon retorted.  
  
"Besides, they have to be a witch." Stefan said, remembering.  
  
"Well that rules her out," stated Bonnie.  
  
Damon looked to Bonnie. "What makes you so sure?"  
  
"She's no witch."  
  
"How do we know? How can we be sure?" he added.  
  
"We can't." Elena answered.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"So what do we do?" Asked Stefan.  
  
"We wait." Came Damon's reply.  
  
"For what? Her to kill us all and then figure out who it was?" Bonnie said.  
  
"Don't be stupid. We wait until more clues arise, until we can narrow down potential people. Until then, just about anyone can be her," Damon explaied.  
  
Elena nodded. "He's right. There's not much we can do at the time. We have almost nothing to go on. I think that's her idea. Not to give us any information that can lead us to her."  
  
"Maybe." Bonnie agreed.  
  
"Or maybe she's just waiting. We don't know."  
  
Elena said softly, "We really don't know anything right now. Any minute one of us could die." 


	24. Chapter 23

Damon stood by the window, just watching her sleep. He couldn't sleep, but after the talk she'd went upstairs after bidding goodnight to Bonnie and Stefan and had soon gone to bed. The moonlight shone through the window, casting gentle shadows across her face.  
  
She looked so peaceful, so serene, and he wondered if she'd ever have the peace she deserved. He watched her chest rise and fall with each soft breath, and his heart thudded dully in his chest as he remembered the night she had come back.  
  
He remembered the pain; the hurt. Remembered thinking how she was back; she was okay; she wasn't his. Damon remembered how she'd wanted him to return her warmth; her love. To want him to show the simple gesture of caring; a hug. That would have simply broken him, shattered his resolve, his control. He'd tried so hard not to touch her; wanting desperately to.  
  
He'd wanted to run his fingers through those silky strands of hair, to touch her face and kiss her lips. To feel her body so close to his that he could feel her every heart beat.  
  
Damon shut his eyes, still lost in his thoughts. Remembering how he wanted to do those things, how he loved her, hoping she knew it and understood he hadn't shunned her to hurt her, it was to keep himself from hurting more. Besides, he'd wanted to leave her to be happy. If it was Stefan she wanted, so be it. As long as she was happy he was all right. He'd owed her at least that much.  
  
He'd known he'd never stop loving her; even if she wasn't his. And he hadn't. And now she was.  
  
Damon opened his eyes, studying her, every part of her. Smiling at the thought that she was all his, down to every last strand of hair. He moved to the bed, reaching out and stroking her hair, brushing it off her forehead. He placed a kiss on her soft cheek.  
  
A few moments later he got in bed beside her and pulled the covers up around her again. Elena shifted beside him, snuggling closer, and the warmth of her body even brought emotions. He couldn't help loving her. He'd kill anything that tried to harm her. If she died fighting evil again, he'd die--again.  
  
He shut his eyes, arms around her, and his thoughts drifted to the night she died. He remembered when he'd finally gained consciousness and had seen her and Stefan in the middle of the crypt he'd knew something was wrong.  
  
And when he heard what she'd told Stefan about telling her aunt and friends she loved them, he dragged himself over to where they were. The pain had shot through his body but he'd forced himself to get to them, to _her_.  
  
And when he'd reached the spot she'd looked to weak, so frail, so unlike the Elena with that flame he'd been drawn to. Damon remembered being unable to cope--not wanting to accept her dying. And dying for him nontheless.  
  
He'd tried to tell her it'd be okay, that he'd even take her home but she had known the truth. She was going home but not to her house. And as she'd said "just to wait a little while" he'd understood, he'd realized he was loosing her. He'd wanted to hold her, to even just take her hand. To tell her that he was sorry for every single thing he had ever done to hurt her.  
  
He'd wanted to be the one holding her, telling her he loved her. But he couldn't bring himself to say it.  
  
He'd vaguely even heard Stefan telling her she could rest. All he could think about was that she was dying, she wasn't going to come back, and it was partially his fault. She'd risked her life to save his.  
  
That's when he'd felt his eyes brim with tears, and as one slipped down his cheek he hadn't cared. It'd been so long since he'd cried, the last time he'd cried was when he learned his mother had died. And now another person he loved was being taken from him.  
  
Then Elena had reached up, touched his cheek, tracing the tear and he'd almost blurted out his feelings. But instead he'd kept quiet. She'd told him not to be sad, and he'd thought that was it, that that would be the last thing she said. Except, she'd looked worried, like she had just thought of something that she needed to do.  
  
She'd made his brother promise to take care of each other. And then Damon understood. Elena was making sure someone was there to push him like she had, to try and get beneath his mask. But he knew no one could. Not like she had.  
  
Elena was the only one who'd understood him; who'd been able to see things other people couldn't. And then she had closed her eyes and he knew she was gone....  
  
Damon's eyes snapped open and his breathing was labored. He reached out to touch Elena's face; as if making sure she was still there. He tried to control his breathing; the memories had shaken him up.  
  
"_Enough_ ," he thought, and shut his eyes again, drifting into a dreamless sleep. 


	25. Chapter 24

~~~~  
  
Elena woke up, feeling strong arms around her. She turned and looked at Damon. He was still asleep, which was odd. She rarely woke up first, and it was rare occasions where she saw him asleep. He looked younger; as though some burdens he carried were momentarily released.  
  
She studied him more, hoping he wouldn't wake up yet. Studied his hair, the way the sunlight caught and reflected off it, those strange rainbows that glinted off the soft black strands. Studied his face, those high cheekbones, and Roman nose, the paleness of his skin under the shock of dark hair.  
  
Well he certainty is beautiful, she thought.  
  
He was, in fact, one of the most handsome guys she'd ever laid eyes on. Elena reached out to touch his hair, softly threading her fingers through it. She continued tenderly stroking Damon's hair, the silky strands that were very fine, but oh-so-soft beneath her fingers. He smelled faintly of soap along with some faint cologne still as well.  
  
He was breathing softly, still oblivious to her. Finally though he stirred. He opened his eyes, that were such a deep color, they were considered black. And which seemed like if you stared into them long enough you'd be lost; falling deeper into their dark depths.  
  
Damon stretched, and she removed her hand from his hair. He grinned at her slow and lazily.  
  
"Morning." Elena kissed him softly. "Sleep well?"  
  
For a moment Elena could have sworn Damon's eyes darkened as though he had thought of something unpleasant, but before she could think further his face was relaxed, eyes the same.  
  
"Fine," he replied, but he had been thinking of his memories last night. He shook himself off mentally and laid an arm over Elena.  
  
"And you?"  
  
"Mmm. Good enough."  
  
He nodded. She moved closer to him, snuggling her body against his. She sighed.  
  
"So comfortable. I don't want to get up. Then we have to face the day."  
  
"Then don't," Damon said, and bent his head to kiss her. The kiss was soft, affectionate, not needy. No hunger, just love as he kissed her gently, and she responded. His arms slipped around her tighter, and his tongue traced her lips.  
  
His hands slid down her back, her thighs, and then beneath the nightgown she wore. She let his tongue into her mouth as his hands trailed along the soft skin of her stomach and chest. Her legs had just begun to wrap around him when they heard a piercing scream and then a crash.  
  
"What was that?" Damon said, breaking away slightly.  
  
Elena, her eyes wide, just replied with, "Oh my God.... Bonnie." 


	26. Chapter 25

Italian Words Used:  
  
1) Compassionevole = Pityful  
  
2) Io stesso compassione = I pity myself  
  
~~~~  
  
Damon got up, hurriedly slipping on a pair of pants, not even bothering with a shirt. Elena followed, throwing on the closest thing she found, her robe. They went downstairs, taking them two as a time.  
  
Elena rushed into the kitchen where she found Stefan bent over Bonnie who sat against the wall, tremors running through her small body. The phone was on the ground, batteries on the floor.  
  
That must have been what crashed, Elena thought.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" She asked Stefan. "What happened Stefan?"  
  
"I don't know. She won't speak. All I know is the phone rang and she picked it up. I didn't think anything of it until she screamed. I have no idea who it was."  
  
Bonnie was still muttering over and over the word 'no' as she sat on the floor.  
  
"Bonnie? Bonnie tell me." Elena said softly.  
  
Bonnie moaned, still shaking, her curls covering her face. She was gasping and crying at the same time. Slowly, Elena went on her knees and put her arms around her friend.  
  
Damon was looking at Bonnie, dark eyes intent, narrowed and probing. Stefan just looked worried, his dark brows drawn together in a frown, concern evident on his face.  
  
"No. Oh no. No, no, no. _Nooo_," she wailed.  
  
"Shh. Bonnie, it's all right. Calm down. Tell me what happened." Elena continued.  
  
Bonnie sniffed; her body still slightly shook, as did her voice as she said quietly, "It was her. And Elena-."  
  
"Who Bonnie? Who's 'her?'  
  
"The woman. That psycho! And Matt--Oh God Elena. Matt." Bonnie said.  
  
"What did she say? What about Matt?" Elena could her the increased pitch of her voice as she realized something horrid could have happened to Matt.  
  
"She said….Matt..." Bonnie trailed off, her voice growing faint. She swallowed, her face was ashen. "Matt's dead!"  
  
Elena shook her head in disbelief, pulling away from her friend. Standing up, she continued to shake her head. "Oh Bonnie you don't know that. She could be lying." Elena heard the desperation in her voice.  
  
"No. It's true," she whispered, "I saw it."  
  
"What? What do you mean?" Elena looked at Stefan; his face was pinched, green eyes lost and far away. He had sat down and when she caught his eye he lowered his head into his hands.  
  
Damon still stood there, looking at her then at Bonnie, black eyes serious.  
  
"I saw it in a premonition. Only it happened as she told me." Her voice seemed to gaine some strength. "The scene played before my eyes and...." Once again, her voice began to lower, gradually. "Oh God, Elena I saw it! I saw it, I saw it, I saw it! It was horrid. So horrid! The blood, his face and the blood…."  
  
She moaned and her face was as pale as Elena has ever seen it. Tears streamed down her face but Elena couldn't bring herself to move over to her again.  
  
Stefan made a sound, like a strangled cry and Elena knew he must have been thinking it's either his fault or guilt over Bonnie again. But she couldn't bring herself to go to either. She simply stood there, feet planted firmly on the kitchen tile. Time seemed to have frozen.  
  
Matt. Dead? No. Not dead. He can't be dead, Elena thought frantic.  
  
Elena shook her head, back and forth and back and forth. She felt like Bonnie, in shock, terrorized and unable to stop shaking her head back and forth.  
  
No, no. Not happening.  
  
She buried her face in her hands, blocking out Stefan who looked tormented, blocking out Bonnie who was lost in her own world of fear and memories. She heard a choked, strangled sound similar to Stefan's escape from her throat.  
  
And then felt strong arms around her, turning her slowly, pulling her close. Enveloped in gentle yet strong arms, face now buried on Damon's cool soft skin. Feeling the tears escaping, dripping down her face, probably on his bare skin as well, felt the chills that ran down her spine and the arms around her tighten.  
  
Elena just cried as hands caressed her hair softly, rubbing her back gently. She couldn't believe it was happening. So young to die. So young, she thought ironically. She knew what it was to die young and wondered why these crazy thoughts were coming into her mind.  
  
Bonnie was going to pass out. Her mind was swirling with incoherent, random thoughts.  
  
Matt is dead. And this woman who ever she was, is still out there. And she could kill any one of us she wants to. Any time she likes. And Matt is dead. And I feel like I'm going insane. Any one of us could die next. Me, Stefan, Elena, Damon. And Matt is dead. And this witch, this psycho, this thing that should burn in Hell with the Devil himself killed Matt. And she's still alive but Matt isn't.  
  
Pictures and flashbacks of times with Matt filled her head and Bonnie thought she might pass out.  
  
Elena clutched at Damon, the tears had stopped but the pain had not. Her breathing was labored.  
  
I'd kill that woman if I could find her. In a heartbeat I would have her die. Slow and painfully. Oh God. Poor Matt.  
  
She couldn't believe it, but she couldn't really be upset anymore, she was far to furious. Elena's heart was racing with animosity.  
  
Damon could feel her rage like a clinging damp blanket. The aura of her fury was powerfully emanating from her like over done perfume. He didn't have to have extraordinary sense to know that. He knew her as simply as she could unremarkably understand him as no one else could.  
  
She could know what he felt just by his eyes and Elena knew almost all of what he felt-- everything that he tried so often to hide.  
  
He knew she was upset as well but he was never very good at comforting. Who had he ever needed to comfort? Besides her during her new vampire stage a back in Fells Church.  
  
Damon noted his brother, who sat very still, very tense at the table. His dark head was still bent in his hands and Damon sent his mind to his brothers. He picked up his thoughts:  
  
Oh God, he's dead. I took Bonnie; I took the woman he loved again. He has every right to hate me. Should I say _had_ every right? Since he's _dead_. Dead, gone. We _were_ friends; he'd forgiven me for Elena but would he have forgiven me this time for stabbing him in the back again? If he wouldn't have it's my fault, as always. I would've deserved it if he wouldn't. Of course I would have deserved it.  
  
Stefan pressed his eyes closed tighter. I've lost Elena. I wish I could comfort her. But I can't. And Bonnie will probably leave. I don't deserve to live.  
  
At this Damon abruptly sent, *Don't be _stupid_!*  
  
*Get out of my head, Damon.* Came a weary response.  
  
*How many times must I say it, little brother, don't be any more stupid than you can help! Will you snap out of it! _Compassionevole_! *  
  
*_Io stesso compassione_ *  
  
Damon didn't respond. He could feel himseld tensing with annoyance. Let him wallow in his own self-pity, he thought.  
  
Elena lifted her face from Damon's chest and he sensed she had calmed down a little. He, himself, began to forget his annyoance as she lifted her wet lashed to his. She swung her eyes in a silent gesture meaning she wanted to leave the kitchen. He nodded ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, and they left.  
  
With a glance back at Stefan through the doorway Elena walked upstairs. 


	27. Chapter 26

Italian Words Used:  
  
1) Mi Amore = My love  
  
~~~~  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Once in their room, Damon shut the door softly. Elena sat perched on the bed and the formation of tears was again lining her lapis blue eyes. For a moment he could only watch as they slipped down her pale cheeks. Then, he went to her.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A long look passed between them, silent comprehension of thoughts and feelings. Finally he sat down next to her. Elena wanted comfort so he offered her the only type he knew.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Enveloping her in his arms as usual he didn't speak. He lay back into the pillows, allowing her to rest her head on him. He held her close, wiping away the tears that fell.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â She sighed and said tightly, voice shaking with both grief and animosity, "I'm going to find her. I'm going to kill her."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "Shh." Damon told her softly. He gently pushed off strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â His lips were cool as he kissed her cheeks, just brushing them over her skin, and over the places where there had been tears.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "_Mi amore_, close your eyes."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Elena struggled to again slow her rage filled heart and obeyed. She heard him add softly, "I'll stay here with you."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â I'll do whatever it takes to get my revenge, to make that woman pay and Hell will freeze and the Heavens will fall before I give up, Elena thought viciously.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Her head was pounding and she thought she needed some aspirin. Her eyes were stinging but she shut them tighter and prayed for sleep to come quickly so she could momentarily escape this life she lived.  
  
________________  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Damon opened his eyes as Elena stirred. He'd been lost in his own thoughts, wondering what to do, what to say to her and wondering if she'd regret her choice, being in the time of need he couldn't comfort her as he knew his brother was capable. But then he knew of their undeniable understanding, when words were not needed and just a look or simply being there was enough.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Elena looked up at him, blue eyes soft. He opened his mouth in a quick breath, and what he said took a lot for him to do since he was no master at reveling feelings. He didn't think he'd need to tell her, figured she'd all ready know but he went ahead anyway.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I'm sorry, Elena."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "For what?" She asked, bewildered.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "For this." He told her simply.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "Oh Damon it's not your faultm" she said with a shake of her head.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "It is." He admitted. "You deserve.... better." He added, "Look at what you've been through. You've told me before how you wish you could have peace just once."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "And I do. But if this is what I need to go through, I will. Someday, Damon, we will live in peace. But for now, if you're with me, I can get through it."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â There was a brief silence before he said, "I love you."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "I know." She said and she kissed his neck softly.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â More silence followed. Elena sighed.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "I wish I could have said goodbye. To have seen him one last time. Now that he's gone, this is more serious than we thought. Threats to Stefan wasn't a joke, but now that she's killed, it's another story, it's gone too far. I'm going to do something, Damon."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â He went to say something but she put up a hand. "You especially know how I am. You know I won't do nothing, no matter how much you try to persuade me other wise. I need to do this. For Stefan, for us, for _Matt_. He would have done it if it were me that was dead."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Damon couldn't answer, for as much as he wanted to tell her no, he knew she had a point.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "The question is what."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "What?" Damon asked ironically, making an odd expression of confusion and then almost smiled at the slight play on words.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "What do we do?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Damon thought for a moment. Then a memory came into play. His room on Via Tornabouni. Stefan's painfully, startling, and all too truthful words that had made him stop, drop his gaze. Imagine, him, dropping his gaze and no retort for what his little brother had said. Shocked, speechless, all together guilty as Stefan had went to leave.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â And then it had happened. The power in the room Â vibrating from wall to wall. Being summoned and Bonnie had done it. Claiming Elena had told them so. Well that had been all he needed: he'd heard the name "Elena", and he was going. Of course, he'd say it was only the spell, that he was only there for "reasons of his own", but really as Stefan had brutally and bluntly said, he did care.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stefan had promised to Elena's dying wish, and Damon could not go back on it. It was the best he could do....  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Mentally Damon shook himself; he was getting beyond himself. It wasn't the point. The point was Bonnie.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Aloud he said, "Bonnie."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "Bonnie?.." A pause. "_Oh_. My God, Damon, that's it! Spells! There has to be a way to summon her!"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â "We go to the place Matt was killed."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Elena looked at him, arching a brow. "We don't know where it is." Then she glanced around the room, thinking. "We'll have to ask Bonnie more when she's ready to tell. But this is good, we have a starting point."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Damon nodded. "You can thank me later, my dear. Right now I think we better tell of our idea."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Elena nodded vigorously. If only we had thought of a way before she'd killed Matt, Elena thought wistfully. But then she thought, We'll do it Matt, we'll get her, we'll kill her. And Bonnie is the key. 


	28. Chapter 27

"No! I will not go there!" screamed Bonnie.  
  
"Then you don't have to. Damon and Stefan can." Elena said.  
  
"Besides what if the police came and saw me there in Matt's house."  
  
"We need the blood and hair samples, don't we? To do a summoning spell." Elena reminded her.  
  
"Well…. this spell wouldn't be like the one I used to pull Stefan back to Fells Church before. The last thing I want to do is pull this lady back here to Roanoke, Virginia. I'd just do a spell to see who she is."  
  
"How do you do it?" Stefan inquired. "Don't you still need hair and blood?"  
  
Bonnie cringed. "Yeah. We do." Then her voice became little, like a small child's.  
  
"But I'm not going!"  
  
"Relax. I said you didn't need to." Elena said. She looked at Damon who simply shrugged.  
  
"I'll go. Damon you don't need to come." Stefan told his brother.  
  
Damon threw Stefan a wolfish grin. "Shouldn't I though? Someone needs to protect you. Brother's should be close, as I've said in the past."  
  
Stefan, who was leaning against the furnished oak mantle, sighed irritateddly and jabbed the flaming logs in the fireplace with the poker. "Fine. Do as you please."  
  
Elena stood up. She was restless and began to pace the living room. Her feet were noiseless on the glossy wood floor.  
  
"Oh will you please sit down. You're going to make me sea sick, my dear." Damon said.  
  
Elena stopped; giving him a funny look and then threw her hands up. "I'm sorry. It's just we don't even know where to start. Bonnie is the only one who knows the spell." She threw her friend a pointed look.  
  
Bonnie made a face and settled farther back into the black leather couch. It seemed to Elena, Bonnie thought if she sat farther back, maybe she'd disappear.  
  
Elena swung her eyes to Damon in desperation and then to Stefan who was still poking the logs; oblivious.  
  
She put a hand to her head. "C'mon you guys! Bonnie, we need the spell and we need it soon. Stefan, quit the log poking! I don't think that's going to help us catch this person. And as for you Damon, please go with Stefan."  
  
"I said I would."  
  
Stefan finally turned from the fireplace. He studied the floor at his feet and then looked up to meet Elena's eyes. He nodded. "We'll go as soon as Bonnie finds the spell."  
  
Bonnie was looking more and more frightened by the minute. "I don't want to do this you guys." Her brown eyes were welling with tears. "Think of what you'll find there…Blood and Matt and-" She moaned.  
  
"Shh. Bonnie I thought you were better."  
  
She swung her brown eyes on Elena and a droplet fell.  
  
"Elena how can you think I'm better?!"  
  
Elena swallowed. She'd pushed away her pain, covered it with rage. She hadn't even realized Bonnie wasn't as strong as her. Her friend was continuing headtedly.  
  
"It's only been a few hours since I found out Matt died! I can't just push it aside! You should know how it feels to loose someone! You lost _both_ your parents. And Stefan you lost Elena _twice_! As for _you_--" Bonnie voice got louder as she turned her face to Damon. "--You lost your _mother_ as well if I recall! So don't even _think_ about telling me to calm down and forget he's dead!"  
  
Bonnie got up and ran out of the room.  
  
Damon's black eyes were wide and he looked enraged and for a brief moment Elena could have sworn she saw hurt, but that was covered up by the rage once more as he threw his fist down on the coffee table.  
  
Stefan's eyes were lost again, pained, and the look he gave Elena was filled with something like disgust.  
  
"Stefan! I didn't mean anything. I just meant--well I just thought she was better. When I came down she wasn't crying anymore and…." She let her sentence trail off weakly as he left to go after Bonnie.  
  
"Damon-" She moved over to where he stood and placed her hand on his arm. "She shouldn't have said that. I know how much that must have bothered-"  
  
Damon turned to her and replied heatedly, "_You_ don't know _anything_. She had no right to speak about my mother-"  
  
"_Don't_ you take it out on me! You know I understand. You know I know how you feel so don't you ever tell me I don't know anything!" Elena shot back.  
  
He moved his eyes to the coffee table again and didn't speak. Elena could tell he was sorry but he was in no mood to apologize.  
  
She took a deep breath and then slowly let it out. Elena ran a hand though her hair and then wrapped her arms around him. She wasn't going to make him apologize, she knew what it felt like to loose a parent, and she'd lost both. She hadn't liked what Bonnie had said to her anymore than Damon liked what she'd said to him.  
  
She kissed his dark head and then stepped back. *I'm going to find them. I'll be upstairs.* She sent him.  
  
Quietly she walked out of the room in search of Bonnie and Stefan. 


	29. Chapter 28

Italian Words Used:  
  
1) Mia cara = My dear  
  
~~~~  
  
It had been a rather uneasy ordeal but Elena had persuaded Bonnie to get herself together a bit more. She explained that they all needed her to be strong and both had apologized. Now, they sat in the kitchen flipping through some of Bonnie's Celtic spell books.  
  
"Oh, Bonnie, I can't find anything! Are you sure there's a spell for just getting a view of who a person is?"  
  
Bonnie did her familiar chin thrust. "Elena, of course I'm sure. Keep looking."  
  
They flipped through the books in the silent kitchen; the only sound was of an occasional tap of Bonnie's foot on the marble floor and the sound of turning pages.  
  
Stefan had left to go hunting after a brief talk with Elena and more apologies. Damon, on the other hand, regarded Bonnie coolly, just about ignoring her presence next to Elena's, as he'd come into the kitchen to ask Elena if she needed to come with him to hunt. She'd said maybe later, and he'd nodded, gave a slight shrug and left.  
  
Suddenly, Bonnie tapped her foot hard on the floor. "Ouch!" After a quick moment to rub her ankle, Bonnie told her friend anxiously, "I found it! Look here!" She pointed to a page with her finger.  
  
Elena scooted her chair closer to see, and she skimmed the pages quickly. "All right. So, we need three strands of hair, any amount of blood…and Bonnie what's that word? It's blurred."  
  
Bonnie tugged at a curl in annoyance. "Damn. I don't know. Stupid word must have gotten smudged somehow."  
  
"Wonderful, just our luck! What do we do now? We can't do the spell without the last ingredient." Elena said frustrated.  
  
"I've looked through these other books a billion times and I know there isn't another copy of this spell."  
  
Elena drummed her maroon colored tips on the tabletop and sighed. "Let me see it again, maybe I can try and figure it out."  
  
She studied the word. "Well the first word begins with a B and ends with I think 'ck', and the second word only has a legible 'c'. After that comes the last word that's totally unreadable."  
  
"Read on." Bonnie urged. "It might give us some clues."  
  
"Okay. Well aside from the hair and blood we need a pin, stick candles, salt and chalk. I know there's candles in the dinning room hutch, and chalk you might have, right? Since you need it for a protection circle? Salt obviously is in the kitchen....I think the cabinet."  
  
Elena read on down the page, and then she paused. "Bonnie, here's the incantation. Something about…Black Cat Oil. Wait a minute! Does black fit the first word?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Now what about Cat for the second?"  
  
"Well it only has a letter C but it's the first letter so yeah I think it might." Bonnie replied.  
  
"That last word we definitely can't read?" Elena asked.  
  
"Hmm. Uh huh, I can't get it. I've never heard of Black Cat Oil but maybe that's what it is. I mean if it says in the spell and Black fits and Cat might, why not give it a shot?"  
  
Elena nodded. "Okay. When the guys come back, we'll tell them. Except where will you get the Black Cat Oil?"  
  
"I'll drive into town and see if there's a shop that sells things for Wiccan students."  
  
"Good idea." Elena got up then, and began looking for the things they needed that she knew were in the house. She opened the cabinet and found salt.  
  
"Bonnie, will you go check the dinning room for the candle?"  
  
Bonnie nodded and went off in search of a candle. She came back a moment later. "Got it."  
  
"Now for the pin. Uh, maybe in the laundry room. Sometimes I kept safety pins and the stuff above the dryer in a little bin."  
  
"Why don't you get them and I'll get the chalk."  
  
"Sure," Elena said and headed off to the washroom.  
  
She reached up above the dryer to the shelf and found the little ceramic bin she kept needle and thread in. Elena poked around and finally found a thin silver pin. Then she placed the bin back up on the shelf beside all the detergents and starches and bottles of bleach, and walked back to the kitchen.  
  
Bonnie wasn't back yet and she sat down at the table. A few minutes later, the back door opened and Stefan walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
"Guess what? Good news. We found the spell and the ingredients, minus this stuff called Black Cat Oil."  
  
Stefan was surprised. "That was quick."  
  
"I know, but most of the things are in the house. Except the oil and of course the hair and blood."  
  
Stefan pulled out a chair and straddled it. "Now what?"  
  
"We wait for Bonnie to get her butt back downstairs--she's gone to get the chalk--and then hope Damon gets back before next year." Elena grinned.  
  
As if on cue, the front door opened, and there was noise in the hall as Damon walked in. He casually walked into the kitchen, lounging in the doorway. His gaze was on Elena.  
  
"Don't you ever sit?" Laughed Elena.  
  
He flashed a smile. "When I feel like it."  
  
Stefan glanced at his brother momentarily before running his hand through his thick dark hair. He turned to the hall as Bonnie came back in shortly.  
  
"Excuse me," she said curtly and Damon stepped aside to let her pass. Then resumed lounging.  
  
"Well I got the chalk! Now for the oil."  
  
"Perky now aren't we, Bonnie. Seems you forgot all about your fears?" Damon mentioned, seemingly forgetting the grudge he supposedly had kept.  
  
She didn't even look at him. She just shook her head, red curls bouncing, bangs a little ruffled, and placed her hands on her hips, deciding to ignore his comment. "I'll go, I guess. Since I know what to look for."  
  
"Sorry I don't know where there's a shop." Elena told her.  
  
"It's okay." Bonnie waved her hand to dismiss the comment. "I'm off. I'll be back. Stefan I'm taking your car."  
  
Stefan's eyes darkened. "I'm coming."  
  
Bonnie placed her hands on her hips. "Stefan, I can do it myself."  
  
"Bonnie, with all that's happened I won't have you going out alone."  
  
"I'm not a child Stefan!"  
  
He sighed, jaw clenching. "I know Bonnie, but I don't want anything happening to you."  
  
She gave him a look of desperation and pleading, her brown eyes wide and intense. "Please.."  
  
"Fine." He shook his head. "Keys are in the hall."  
  
Bonnie left, grabbed her coat and slipped on a pair of shoes. Then they heard the door shut, a car door slam and an engine turn on.  
  
Stefan turned to Elena. "Does Meredith even know what happened?"  
  
"Yes. Actually I called a few nights ago. She went into that annoyingly calm state where she keeps her voice monotone and her statements blunt. I don't want her getting involved though. And as far as I'm concerned, she doesn't know anything of the threats or how we're doing this spell."  
  
"Strange, there have been not too many threats," Stefan commented.  
  
"Don't you think murder was enough, brother?" Damon questioned.  
  
Stefan made no comment. Damon straightened and smoothed out the front of his shirt, picking off a piece of something probably no one else would ever notice just because it bothered him. He moved into the kitchen and stood behind Elena. He placed his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"What do we do while the little psychic's out shopping?" He asked.  
  
"We wait, that's what we do." His brother replied.  
  
Elena said softly, "When she comes back, we start. " She leaned back against Damon.  
  
"Which means I'm stuck with _him_ for an entire afternoon." Stefan said pointedly at Damon.  
  
He received a raise of Damon's eyebrows.  
  
"I don't want you two coming home half dead because you got into a fight." Elena was annoyed. "I mean it."  
  
"Oh we won't, _mia cara_, I don't have time to deal with it right now."  
  
"Right now, we need to focus on finding who this person is and dealing with her." Stefan replied.  
  
"That's when the real fun starts." Damon said with narrowed eyes. Elena sighed. She knew he was right. 


	30. Chapter 29

The black Porsche pulled up into the long driveway and Bonnie shut the engine. She stepped out and shut the door, the keys jingling in her hand. Pressing the button on the key chain the doors locked and Bonnie walked up the path and into the house.  
  
"I'm back," She called from the hall and placed the keys on a hook.  
  
Stefan turned at the sound of Bonnie's voice. "Did you get the oil?"  
  
She walked into the kitchen. "Yes. I found a little shop downtown."  
  
He nodded.  
  
Elena sighed. "Now it's time for you guys to get the hair and blood…Wait. How will you know which is Matt's and which is not? And don't police clean up the scene of the crime when they take out the body?"  
  
"Not if it's recent enough. They probably still need to run tests," Stefan told her. "As for knowing which blood is Matt's and which isn't.... I'm not sure. We'll find a way."  
  
Damon, who had been standing silent, finally said, "Isn't it a bout time we get a move on?"  
  
"You're right. I guess we go now. Where does he live now?"  
  
Bonnie spoke. "Still in Fells Church, only not his old home. He's moved into a much better house down on Magnolia Street. You know where that is, right?"  
  
Stefan went to answer but Damon broke in with, "I do." He shot a glance at Elena that said, 'remember?'  
  
Elena made a wry face and then said seriously, "Be safe and don't do anything stupid."  
  
He laughed then and it was a genuine laugh that she hadn't heard in a long time. It was inviting and as always the laughter touched his eyes. Her heart thudded hard as it did when she really noticed how beautiful he really was.  
  
"Me? Do anything stupid? Never."  
  
"I'm serious! Please just do what you need to and save the bickering with Stefan for some other time."  
  
The laughter faded from his eyes and they were hard and serious once more. Elena felt chilled at how quickly his emotions changed. "I told you I would. For once trust what I say, Elena."  
  
Elena's eyes dropped to the floor. She wondered if she always snapped at him like that or made him feel she didn't trust him. At the moment she felt guilty.  
  
But then she raised her eyes as he said to her, "We don't have time for such things."  
  
She raised her eyes back up to his again and pulled him into an embrace. His arms went around her waist lightly. Elena's voice was slightly muffled by his neck as she said, "Sorry I snapped. Promise me you'll watch out for him and you'll cooperate. That's all I ask."  
  
"Promise." Damon pulled away and Elena stepped back.  
  
Stefan hadn't been paying any attention because at the moment he was focused on Bonnie who was looking panic stricken again. "Be careful. And if the cops come then leave. And don't forget-"  
  
"Bonnie!" Stefan reprimanded. She closed her mouth and her shoulders slumped.  
  
"Relax. I'll be fine. Okay?"  
  
"Oh all right. I just don't kn-"  
  
"If you don't calm yourself we'll never get out of here. The sooner we leave, the quicker this will be over with."  
  
The redhead nodded finally, if not reluctantly, and smiled waveringly. "Go on then."  
  
"We'll be back soon." Stefan gave the small girl a hug and she clutched him so close he could smell the shampoo she had used still clinging to her curls. She acted as if it might be the last time he ever saw her. Suddenly he felt rather saddened, wondering if this would distress her too much. But he knew he had to go.  
  
He breathed in the heady sent for a moment. Bonnie stepped back and looked at him. He lowered his lips to hers in a soft kiss that lingered long enough to make Elena, who'd been watching, think that possibly Stefan was finally accepting she wouldn't go back to him.  
  
Stefan untangled his fingers from Bonnie's curls and Elena glanced away quickly, studied the marbled floor and her slip on shoes, as to not be caught invading their moment.  
  
Stefan nodded to Elena and Damon gave her a last glance as he followed after Stefan. Once in the hall Damon grabbed his keys from the table in the hall before Stefan could get his. "If I have to go, I drive."  
  
Stefan shrugged. "Fine. I don't care just as long as we get this over with." He stepped outside onto the porch. Damon shut the door and walked down the step as Stefan added, "You know I don't want to be with you any more than you want to be with me."  
  
"You know, _little brother_, if you don't shut your mouth-" He stopped as he recalled his promise. Throwing Stefan a searing look he continued to his car.  
  
The doors unlocked with a click and a beeping from the button and he slid inside the drivers' side. "Well? Taking your time is not an option. Get in." He said to Stefan who was looking hesitant.  
  
Finally, green eyes smoldering he got in.  
  
Damon put the key in the ignition and glancing into the rearview mirror began pulling out of the driveway. Stefan stared out the window, brooding, as Damon rounded a corner and stopped at a red light.  
  
"Good to know you at least obey traffic laws." Stefan muttered.  
  
"If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut. Because my patience for you is limited and right now it's running out." Damon told Stefan. The light turned green.  
  
Stefan made no comment.  
  
"Back to good ol' Fells Church." Damon said with mock cheerfulness and in the passenger seat Stefan sat darkly. 


	31. Chapter 30

Damon sensed something was wrong as soon as he got out of the car. The modern colonial painted a beige color with darker beige-colored shutters, a mowed lawn and tall maple, quince and sycamore trees, would have seemed ordinary to any human being that passed on the street. But of course, Damon was no human.  
  
"At least we've been invited in before. Otherwise we'd be-" Stefan paused, alert. He glanced at his brother who spoke what he thought.  
  
"I don't like the feel of this place. Something's wrong."  
  
"I feel it too." Stefan answered. "I don't think we're alone."  
  
Damon walked up the brick path to the front door. Stefan nodded and came up behind him. Damon reached for the door knob and swung open the door. Cautiously he stepped inside. Suddenly he reeled back with the reflexes of a cat, pushing Stefan back too. A familiar figure stood in the doorway of the family room.  
  
"I don't think we'll be needing that summoning spell." Damon said wryly, black eyes studying the person before him.  
  
"You brought him too? I thought I told you I only wanted _you_?" The woman's beady black eyes were furious. "I killed that stupid boy. He was easy. I figured it'd be a lesson not to disobey me anymore. Obviously you're too stupid to understand that."  
  
She sighed, her face haggard with age. But even the heavy bags under her eyes couldn't deceive Stefan and Damon who felt the Power emanating from her as surely as the air they breathed.  
  
It was not the same as vampire aura. Witch aura surrounded them. "Two's better though anyway. I'll get more Power and maybe even be let into the High Circle if I kill you both….I knew you'd come." Ms. Flowers laughed, overjoyed with the thought of killing. "I've been waiting a long time for you, Boy."  
  
_____________________  
  
"Bonnie, do you mind if I go take a nap?" Elena asked as she poked her head into living room where Bonnie lay sprawled on the couch. Elena had returned from hunting and Bonnie was surprised.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be full of energy or something?"  
  
"I know, that's the odd thing. But I don't feel right. My head's hurting and I just need to lay down." Elena said. "It's okay right?"  
  
"Go ahead. There's a show on I want to watch. So I'll be here if you need me, " she replied.  
  
Elena nodded and trudged up the steps to the bathroom. Her head was pounding and she searched the medicine cabinet for some aspirin. She found a bottle of some sort of store brand, took one and shut the light. Walking farther down the hall and into her bedroom she didn't even bother to shut the door. She lay down on the bed and pulled the covers up.  
  
What is wrong with me? She sighed and closed her eyes hoping the aspirin would work soon. Elena closed her eyes and drifted of to sleep. She dreamed.  
  
~~ Stefan and Damon both hurt and bleeding. Only this time they weren't fighting themselves. Someone else was there. A blurry, vague shape of a person came into view. Damon took charge, giving the person a few right hooks and kicks to the stomach. They doubled over but it didn't last long.  
  
The person was not mortal or they surely would have been knocked out. Stefan, looking dazed and in an immense amount of pain, took a swing at the figure, cries of fury sounding from both of them. The figure, bursting with some new energy, lashed out at Stefan, throwing him into the wall where he slid down, arm hanging at an unnatural angle. He moaned.  
  
Damon, in a flash of white fury slammed the person to the floor, delivering savage blows to the face and side.  
  
For only a moment it stalled this figure. In an instant Power surged from this being directed at Damon, but quickly Damon changed into crow form, soaring up and out of reach until he landed again. This time changing into wolf form, he lunged at the person, jaws clamped at the figures throat as he knocked them down.  
  
Snarling, the wolf's teeth raked at the flesh and the person on the ground didn't move as Damon changed back into the form of a young man again.  
  
More Power burst forth though, this time Damon was unprepared. He let out a cry as he was thrown against a window, the glass shards flying everywhere, cutting deep into his side. Blood was seeping through his dark clothes and he slid to the ground alongside his brother.  
  
Stefan still hadn't moved. First the figure sent out Power to Stefan, who moaned again as it riveted through him. Then, over to Damon who flinched visably as it went through him. After making sure the two wouldn't move, the figure disappeared in a blinding blue light. The aftereffect in the room was full of Power so strong it palpatated in the air and seemed to faintly tremble the walls. ~~  
  
Elena flung herself upright. Panting and shaking she tried to calm herself.  
  
"Just a dream. Just a horrible dream." But even to herself those words seemed hollow and she couldn't shake off the feeling of foreboding.  
  
Downstairs, Bonnie's eyes opened and she sat bolt up on the couch. "Oh God."  
  
Elena jumped out of bed and ran down the steps. Rushing into the living room she called, "Bonnie!"  
  
Simultaneously, Bonnie shouted "Elena!"  
  
They looked at each other. "You too?" Elena asked from her place on the stairs. "The dream?"  
  
"Elena...." Bonnie gulped. "It wasn't a dream."  
  
"You're telling me I had a premonition?"  
  
Her friend nodded.  
  
"But I'm not psychic!"  
  
"Then your closeness with Damon or even both the boys let you receive the vision. The mind works in strange ways, Elena. And when a loved one needs help, intuition tends to take over. Your headache might have been a warning of a vision to come."  
  
"Oh God. Bonnie, this means…."  
  
Elena's heart sped up, both with fear and malice. "Let's go."  
  
There wasn't a moment of hesitation as they ran to the hall and hastily slipped on shoes, grabbed their coats and Elena reached for Stefan's car keys since Damon had his. Bonnie and Elena hurried out, quickly locking the door and ran to the car.  
  
"Hurry Elena!" Bonnie said frantically as Elena put the key in the ignition.  
  
"I'm trying!" She said as she pulled out of the driveway and sped down the road. "We're breaking some speed laws. Buckle your seatbelt."  
  
"What if that person comes to get us before we can reach them?" Bonnie voiced the question Elena had been thinking.  
  
Elena gripped the steering wheel as she answered, "I don't know. Just don't think that. We'll get there."  
  
"But this person, it was the one that killed Matt-I could feel the same aura-had so much Power. Even more than Damon."  
  
"I know. I felt it too." Elena told her as she accelerated and ran through a red light. A car came from around a turn and Elena swerved sharply with a blare of the horn. "Jack ass!" She yelled.  
  
"Oh God, Elena I just hope we get there before-"  
  
"Shut up, Bonnie!" She said sharply and Bonnie shrunk back. "We'll make it." Elena added in a softer voice. "The boy's will be okay."  
  
Bonnie swallowed and quietly replied, "I hope you're right, Elena. I really do." 


	32. Chapter 31

The Porsche screeched to a halt in front of the two-story house. Elena shut the engine, left the keys in the car and jumped out followed by Bonnie. She rushed up the lawn and to the front door, beyond caring about anyone evil being in there. All she knew was Damon and Stefan were hurt.  
  
She burst in and Bonnie came flying in a second later. Elena's eyes scanned the inside of the house and came to a stop when she saw the family room. She put a hand to her mouth.  
  
Behind her Bonnie gasped. "Oh Elena!"  
  
Elena took a step inside. Bonnie took a look at the two brothers and felt dizzy. So this is how they must have looked in the crypt.  
  
Elena eyes studied them. It was exactly like the dream. Stefan was breathing shallow, his head bowed, chin resting on his chest and Elena knew from the dream he'd been thrown. She wondered if he was unconscious. She looked over to Damon as Bonnie went to Stefan, lightly touching his head.  
  
Damon was breathing as well, to her relief but his side was torn open by the glass from the window and he was bleeding rather heavily. A bit of blood was on the ground, seeping through the fabric of his shirt. She was painfully reminded of the crypt scene. It pained her to see them like this, so hurt.  
  
"Elena, what do we do?"  
  
Elena shook her head. She didn't know. "We can't take them to the hospital."  
  
"But Elena look at them!"  
  
"Bonnie, run to the bathroom and get as many towels as you can, to stop the bleeding. Your sister's a nurse, I thought you'd know something."  
  
"I don't know much. She didn't really teach me that much and this isn't like a wound I've treated before."  
  
"Just go get something! Quick!" Elena said.  
  
Reluctantly Bonnie eased away from Stefan and ran to the bathroom.  
  
"Oh what do I do? They both need blood." She said aloud.  
  
Bonnie came back into the room, dumping a handful of bath towels on the floor. "There."  
  
Elena took them, gently easing Damon over, and lifted up his shirt. She groaned as she saw the depth of the cuts. "Towels won't do much. They need blood."  
  
"You can't give him too much, Elena. You'd endanger yourself."  
  
"I know. I need to do my best though. And you need to help Stefan."  
  
"You mean I need to slit open my wrist or something?"  
  
"Well it's that or you let him die." Elena retorted bluntly, blue eyes intense on her friend.  
  
Bonnie looked hesitant for only a moment longer. "Well..what about my finger?"  
  
"I don't care _what_ you cut! Just give him blood! We're wasting time." Elena snapped.  
  
Slowly Bonnie nodded and reached for a shard of glass that had fallen from the smashed window. Taking it, her small hands shook a little and she made a slit in her finger. "Now?"  
  
"Put it over his lips, try and open his mouth a bit."  
  
Elena took a piece of glass, making a cut in the palm of her hand, wincing as it stung. She slid it over his mouth, getting no response until she thought it was useless. But suddenly, very slowly she felt his lips open as she pressed her palm against his mouth. He drank slowly, but at least she knew he was getting the blood.  
  
Elena glanced at Bonnie and was relieved that Stefan had responded, too. Elena slipped her free hand behind Damon's head, gently prodding him to drink. Her hand would only give so much blood though so she removed her hand and placed her neck to his lips. She hoped he'd realize.  
  
"Elena, should I?" Bonnie asked.  
  
"Yes. You think your finger will give him anything? That's just to get him started."  
  
Bonnie gulped. "If he needs it I'll do it." She pushed her curls off her neck and copied Elena. In a moment she felt his teeth pierce her neck but then she gave into the sensation of giving blood.  
  
Finally Elena felt Damon's teeth and she sighed grateful that he had known.  
  
After a bit, Elena had a feeling she'd be bordering a dangerous line if she let Bonnie give any more blood. She pulled herself away from Damon, pushing his head away. His eyes had opened but he was obviously still dazed.  
  
"Bonnie that's enough," she told her.  
  
"Hmm?" Bonnie asked dreamily.  
  
"I said _enough_. You're going to loose too much."  
  
"Oh…." Bonnie said distractedly but before Elena had to tell her again she pushed Stefan away.  
  
His green eyes were dull as he looked at Bonnie but he had regained consciousness.  
  
"He's still not totally well, Elena."  
  
"I'm….fine…." Came his voice, barely above a whisper.  
  
"You are not! Elena what do I do?"  
  
"Later they can hunt. You can't afford to give him any more."  
  
Elena glanced at Damon, his wounds had stopped the bleeding but they hadn't gone away.  
  
"No more." He told her hoarsely as she went to lean her neck to him.  
  
She sighed. "We've got to get you out of here."  
  
"Can you stand Stefan?" Elena asked softly, turning to him.  
  
There was a tiny nod. "I think."  
  
Bonnie went to help him up and he leaned against her small frame. Elena tried to get Damon up herself without hurting him as much as possible. He moaned and she looped his arm around her neck. "Easy. We'll be in the car soon."  
  
Slowly Elena and Bonnie took Stefan and Damon to the car. Elena opened the back seat and Damon grimaced as he slid into the back seat. He closed his eyes, breathing hard. Stefan sat down, leaning his head against the window when Bonnie shut the door.  
  
Elena got in the drivers and Bonnie in the passengers again. Elena made a U- turn and sped toward home, feeling the effects of her blood donations. Bonnie was slightly paler than usual, not to mention she was already pale with the normal amount of blood so she looked sick.  
  
When they reached home Elena got Damon inside, laying him down on the couch and Stefan took the other.  
  
"They need rest," said Elena.  
  
Bonnie nodded.  
  
"And so do you. Stay here anyway, I need to hunt myself."  
  
"All right," she agreed.  
  
Shortly Elena returned and Bonnie was looking tired.  
  
"Go lay down, I'll stay here."  
  
After planting a kiss on Stefan's cheek Bonnie walked upstairs and Elena heard her door shut. She glanced towards Stefan who was lying on the couch, eyes closed looking exhausted. He needed the sleep. She squeezed his hand and moved to Damon.  
  
Tentatively, Elena touched his head, kissing his forehead.  
  
"Ho-how did you know?" Damon asked.  
  
"Bonnie had a vision. I did too."  
  
"You're not like Bonnie though," he added softly.  
  
"I know. Bonnie thinks it because of how close we are."  
  
Damon gave her a weary smile and linked his fingers through hers. "I'll be all right…. You don't need to…. stay here."  
  
"You can't even talk right. I'm staying. And when you're able to, you're going hunting," she told him sternly.  
  
He sighed. He tried to shift himself more comfortably but Elena stopped him. "Stop moving."  
  
He grumbled to himself. Then as if he just suddenly remembered, he said, "It was Mrs. Flowers you know. I knew there was something weird with her."  
  
"Mrs. Flowers! Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure! I saw it with my own damn eyes." Damon said this heatedly, which resulted in another wince of great pain.  
  
"Why? What in the world does she want and why would an old lady like her kill Matt?"  
  
"Sorry I didn't stop to chat," Damon told her sarcastically.  
  
"Damon…."  
  
He groaned at her, rolling his eyes. "She said something about being let into the High Circle and gaining more Power by killing us." Damon touched his side, and quickly jerked his hand back. "Damn."  
  
"Now that she thinks your dead, will she stop?"  
  
"I have a feeling she'll find out we're not dead. This game isn't over yet."  
  
Elena sighed and shook her head. "I figured as much. She has immense Power."  
  
"Really? I didn't know that."  
  
Elena smirked. "Now is not the time to joke."  
  
"You're going to laugh. I can tell you want to." He didn't seem in so much pain, but Elena guessed he was hiding it. She gave their fingers a squeeze.  
  
Stefan stirred on the couch. There was a moan. "My head feels like someone threw a truck at it."  
  
"Well flying at the wall isn't quite the same, but it'll give you basically the same effect," Elena told him, grinning.  
  
Damon mumbled mocking, "Now is not the time to joke."  
  
Elena smirked, planting a kiss on his lips lightly.  
  
"Where's Bonnie?" Stefan wondered.  
  
"Upstairs sleeping."  
  
"Oh.... Elena?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"A vision…. Just don't ask," she added at his raised brows.  
  
"You know what? It was Mrs. Flowers," Stefan replied.  
  
"I know."  
  
"All right, what am I missing. Did you turn psychic over night?"  
  
She smiled and shook her head. "No. Damon told me that."  
  
Stefan nodded and glanced at his brother. "You all right?"  
  
"Just wonderful." Came the reply. Damon paused. Then he added, "And you?"  
  
"I feel like I just got hit by a bus," he said and then added ruefully, "Sorry you had to fight alone."  
  
"It's all right, brother." For the first time in a while, there was no malice in the 'brother'. Stefan's emerald eyes were wide.  
  
Damon caught Stefan's look, "Don't get your hopes up _little brother_." 


	33. Chapter 32

"It's been a week, Bonnie. There's no way he's still hurt." Elena said, placing Bonnie's cup of steaming coffee on the table.  
  
"But Elena he's been acting....different. I don't know what it is. Don't you think he's been a little odd'?" She asked, her heart shaped face tilted at an angle as she spoke.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well he's been real quiet and detatched. You're telling me you haven't at least noticed that?"  
  
Elena sighed. "He has..."  
  
"You see?" said Bonnie as she took a sip of her coffee and made a face as it had obviously burned her.  
  
"But maybe it's just the aftershock." Elena added, folding her arms across her chest. But even to herself the words seemed forced.  
  
"Elena, we've pulled him out of a well half dead, he was practically killed by Katherine and don't forget dying because of Klaus and you talk about aftershock!" Bonnie replied, shaking her head.  
  
Elena felt heat rising in her face as she felt like a child. "Well....I don't know what else it could be."  
  
Bonnie thought for a moment as she sipped the French Vanilla coffee from the mug she held in between her hands. "Hmm. I wonder.." She spoke her thoughts aloud.  
  
One of Elena's brows lifted as she looked quizzically at her friend. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"What if Mrs. Flower's did this to him."  
  
"What for? She wanted him dead." Elena reminded her. "Why put a spell on him?"  
  
"Maybe she just wants to mess around with him."  
  
Elena waved a manicured hand at the comment. "I doubt she'd waste her time."  
  
"She is a powerful witch, though," Bonnie told her friend.  
  
Elena nodded and then she said, "Wait. Damon. What about him? Why not put a spell on him as well?"  
  
"Stefan was her original target. Damon was just a nuisance to her, and so she tried to kill him to gain a little more Power and get him out of the way."  
  
"Yes. So there'd be no need for a spell." Elena nodded again, understanding.  
  
"Now we need to figure out why she put a spell on him."  
  
"A spell on whom?" A distant voice called from the hall and a second later Damon casually strolled in, dark eyes hooded and looking almost bored.  
  
"Stefan. We think that's why he hasn't been himself." Elena told him.  
  
"Yes, he hasn't been the usual saint lately." Damon replied as he took a seat beside Elena, amusement back in his eyes.  
  
"So you've noticed," replied Bonnie.  
  
Damon's hooded eyes opened wider, and something like annoyance surfaced in his eyes and on his handsome features.  
  
"Of course I noticed. Do you think I am a fool?"  
  
Bonnie was taken back slightly, she'd almost forgotten how quickly Damon's demeanor could turn from teasing to intimidating. A fool she was, for the mien she sensed from him was as strong as it always was, waves of Power that radiated from him. She knew how pugnacious Damon could be.  
  
Elena's eyes flickered to Damon in a silent urge for him to condone her comment before the unbridled tension grew to a breaking point. She wondered as well, if there still was hostility due to Bonnie's refrence to his mother.  
  
He looked back at Elena, for a moment the atmosphere in the room was charged with the feeling of being uncomfortable. Then it seemed to waver and Damon leaned back, rather uncaringly as if what had happened was merely a little inconvenience.  
  
Elena cleared her throat, feeling superfluously uncomfortable herself still. "Alright....As we were saying. Something is obviously wrong with Stefan, he's been oddly detatched and rather edgy."  
  
"Hold up a moment. Where is he anyway?" Bonnie asked. Her coffee was forgotten.  
  
Damon shrugged impassively. "Perhaps out looking for some muskrat, knowing my brother."  
  
There was no use in trying to persuade Damon to be serious so Elena didn't attempt to. "You're right. He's probably out hunting because I know he's not in the house. I haven't seen him all morning."  
  
As if summoned by her words the back door swung open and Elena took a sharp intake of breath. A gasp came from Bonnie followed with an, "Oh my God, Stefan!"  
  
Damon looked up at his brother, dark eyes intent and fixedly studying him. Any other time Damon would have wondered if he'd given up his tenacious hold to the sunlight, but now, dark eyes transfixed on his younger brother's face he stood. He knew Stefan would never do something like that. Never. And he knew Stefan would only do this had he been driven by some force he could not control.  
  
Bonnie looked ready to bolt from her chair and she swung her huge round eyes at Damon and saw that he looked seriously concerned, like he had that night in the clearing. There was no concern for what others thought in his mind, only concern for his brother. He didn't look young like he had that night though. His stance was calm and in control as always but Bonnie could detect that feeling of genuine concern.  
  
Elena could only watched, stupefied and horrified at the same time, as Stefan stood in the kitchen. Waves of dark hair were disheveled, green eyes were searing with a burning hunger, sensuous mouth twisted and tinted with blood.  
  
Stefan's eyes held no warmth, only hunger and they were cold as they looked at Elena.  
  
She shivered. Where was Stefan, the one she had once loved beyond words? Stefan with the beautifully lost emerald eyes, soft lips and caring personality. This was not he.  
  
"What have you done?" Elena whispered. The rage and contempt she felt from him was unbelievable. There was an overpowering hunger there as well. It felt vaguely like Katherine's aura had when she'd been chased off Wickery Bridge.  
  
Damon glanced at Elena, concerned for her as well and then he turned back to his brother.  
  
She shook her head; her blue eyes were pained to see him like this. A flutter of panic went through her stomach as she choked out the only words that came to mind. "Oh, Stefan. What did you do?" 


	34. Chapter 33

Italian Words Used:  
  
1) Capisce = Understand  
  
2) Zitto = Shut up  
  
3) Maledetto = Damn it  
  
4) Mi amore = My love  
  
5) Sciocco = Fool  
  
~~~~  
  
"What did you _do_?" Elena softly repeated wistfully. She noticed on his white shirt there were even stains of blood. She wasn't so sure she wanted to know.  
  
Stefan's eyes were still on hers and they were just as cruel. He didn't respond, seemingly annoyed at the question.  
  
Bonnie looked visibly shaken, but not as if she didn't comprehend. "Oh _hell_." She knew it was the spell but it didn't mean she'd be any less upset.  
  
The spell had obviously made him a blood-crazed vampire but that wasn't the only thing that was bad. Elena had no idea what exactly he had done, to what extremities he had gone.  
  
"Stefan?" Damon spoke ever the calm, serious aristocrat he was.  
  
For a second Bonnie did a double take. He'd said his name! She shook herself mentally after a second though. There was no time for trivial things.  
  
Elena rose from her chair and moved behind Damon. She placed a hand lightly on his shoulder; the black sweater was soft beneath her hand.  
  
Damon could feel the bloodlust and he knew, as well as Elena, that his brother had fed. And not on animals, but on humans. The spell had taken Stefan's highest moral. Not to kill humans. It had taken away what he tried so hard to keep. His self control.  
  
*We have to do something.* Elena sent to Damon's mind.  
  
*I know.*  
  
*Has he....killed?* Elena asked. Even though she knew the answer, she didn't want to believe it.  
  
*I think you know. But, yes. Many.* He felt her fingers clench his shoulder through the light sweater he wore.  
  
"Do you know why you did this?" He asked Stefan.  
  
Stefan's gaze moved from Elena's to his brother's. "It was _good_. Different." His green eyes were alight with amusement and there was a hint of a smile on his blood tinted lips. He looked much like Damon at that moment.  
  
"But don't you know Mrs. Flowers did this to you?" Bonnie asked him, dismayed.  
  
He lifted a brow. He didn't answer.  
  
She'd never thought the day would come when she really feared Stefan Salvatore. Bonnie shook her head slowly. She didn't want to be here. "That's it. I can't. I can't watch this." Bonnie was disgusted, overwhelmingly appalled by Stefan at that moment. Abruptly she left the room.  
  
Elena looked over her shoulder at her friend. She sighed. She glanced up at Damon who shrugged. She knew what he was thinking and she knew he was right. There were more important matters at hand.*Look for some antidote or something for this.* She sent to Bonnie.  
  
"Stefan, you can't go on like this," said Elena hurriedly. "You have to let us help you."  
  
"I don't need _anyone's_ help."  
  
"Oh but you do! This isn't normal for you, Stefan. Don't you see it's hurting everyone? Just look at Bonnie. Don't you even care?"  
  
"Should I?"  
  
For a moment, Elena could only look at him in shock. She was not used to this and she didn't know what to say. She wanted to slap him.  
  
"You listen to me and you listen good, _brother_. You are going to stop this and you are going to stop it now. We are willing to do whatever it takes to reverse this spell and you are going to cooperate or I _will_ force you. It's up to you."  
  
"Do you think you frighten me?" Stefan asked.  
  
"Don't even begin to try Stefan. _You_, by no means, intimidate me."  
  
"I see. Well how exactly do you suppose you're going to get me to go along with your little game?"  
  
"I have my ways. The possibilities are endless." Damon replied deadly cold.  
  
Stefan took a step towards Damon; Elena took a step back. She didn't like what she was seeing. Damon stayed planted firmly where he was, until Stefan was practically in his face. Damon drew himself up; challenge hung in the air like a damp cloud.  
  
Damon raised his dark brows. "Are you suggesting a fight? If that's what it takes, so be it."  
  
"Have it your way then."  
  
Before Elena even knew what was happening Damon had her behind him and he swung at Stefan. He hit his face perfectly, missing his nose by a fraction of an inch. *Go Elena.*  
  
*But--*  
  
*GO!*  
  
She nodded. She wasn't staying in this house; she knew that for sure. Elena headed out the front door, and sat on the porch, waiting for whatever would happen to end.  
  
Inside, Damon staggered slightly back as Stefan took a swing at Damon, but he ducked. Damon had always been a better fighter and had there been any doubt he proved it at that moment when he threw Stefan up against the counter, roughly jerking his head up by his hair, and giving him a hard slap across his face. Presently a bit of blood began running from his lip.  
  
"You won't win this."  
  
"_Zitto_! You son of bitch. You're going to let us help you if you know what's good for you." Damon roughly jerked his brother's head to the side as Stefan grappled to get out.  
  
"Watch it." Stefan said darkly.  
  
"I'm watching all right. I'm watching you make a damn _sciocco_ of yourself." Damon retorted menacingly.  
  
Stefan was breathing raggedly, and his eyes opened wide as Damon grabbed his leather jacket and slammed his body against the wall.  
  
"Will you let us help you?" Damon asked darkly, slowly.  
  
"_No_." Spat Stefan. He tried to kick Damon, sending a nasty blow to his shins as Damon's black eyes flashed angrily and his face contorted with a look of pure fury.  
  
"I said," Damon repeated and slammed Stefan's head against the wall quite hard, "will you let us help you?"  
  
Dazed, Stefan shook his head.  
  
"Don't make me kill you." Damon replied.  
  
Stefan gave an incredulous laugh.  
  
"_Maledetto!_" Damon's hand shot out with such accuracy and speed that in an instant he held a large glinting blade at Stefan's throat he'd gotten from the knife rack on the counter beside him. "_Non faccia lo stupido_."  
  
With reflexes just as quick and cat-like as his brother's Stefan had grabbed Damon's wrist and nearly bent it backwards. "You wouldn't."  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath from Damom. "Oh I would, and I will, brother. I'll cut your veins and drink you dry. Did I mention _slowly_?"  
  
Stefan sneered, momentarily contemplating whether or not to break the wrist he held. But he let Damon's wrist drop and raised his hands. "Alright. You can do what you like." He shoved Damon away.  
  
Damon tilted his head slightly, both dark brows raising. He stepped back and let Stefan pass but his hand shot out and gripped his brothers shoulder. "Not so fast. Sit down. I'll be back. If you're not here when I return, I swear you'll be sorry. _Capisce?_"  
  
Stefan glared, but sat down dabbing at his bleeding lip. Then his brows raised questioningly. "And all this time you always prided yourself in almost killing me and now you want to help. Isn't that ironic." Stefan said bitterly.  
  
Slowly, Damon turned around. He didn't speak, but his dark eyes were raptly fixated on Stefan.  
  
"Care to explain the sudden change of heart?" Asked Stefan.  
  
"I believe," said Damon quietly, "the subject of the matter is _you_, not me." He went to turn around when Stefan spoke again.  
  
"Well then let's focus on you for a while. Shall we? I think so." Stefan smiled, relaxing back against the kitchen chair, folding his hands behind his head. "Why are you interested in helping me?"  
  
Damon paused for a brief moment. His face was hardened and impassive as he returned the smile with a meticulous smile of his own. "If it weren't for Elena, I'd have ended your pitiful life moments ago."  
  
"Ah, Elena. The sweet, succulent, seductive Elena. Leave it to her, and she'll have you running to her at the sound of her fingers snapping."  
  
Damon's eyes flashed again and he bent close to Stefan, hands clentched. "You had your chance. It's over. It's a shame you can't comprehend she's mine now."  
  
Damon straightened himself, eyes glinting with animosity.  
  
"You're just afraid that you know she'd come running back to me if I let her."  
  
Damon made a scoffing sound. "Only in your wildest dreams, brother."  
  
"Oh it isn't a dream. It's truth. A truth you can't handle."  
  
"If that's true then why is she still here with _me_?"  
  
"Oh, you know damn well, Damon. If I let her into bed and remind her what she's missing...."  
  
"You're treading on thin ice. If you lay one hand on herI swear I will kill you." With this Damon turned sharply on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen.  
  
Damon took his jacket and went outside, stepping onto the porch where he found Elena sitting on one of the steps. He draped his jacket over her shoulders. She looked up, her blue eyes full of concern. The sunlight spilled over her blond hair, glinting across her face. "Are you alright?"  
  
He took a quick breath. God, she was beautiful. "I'm fine. And he'll live." He sat down beside her after a second and took her in his arms.  
  
"What are we going to do about Stefan?"  
  
Damon replied, "Bonnie will find a spell I'm sure."  
  
"I hope so. I don't think I could live with him like that." She shook her head. "It's revolting."  
  
"At least he's willing to cooperate."  
  
"If willing is the right word for it." Elena retorted bitterly. Elena lifted her head. "Damon?"  
  
"Hm?" He mumbled into her hair, arms around her.  
  
"I want to go back home. I want it to be just us again without all this. First the threats and now this spell! When will it end? We don't even know if Mrs. Flowers is gone for sure."  
  
"I know _mi amore_. We'll leave soon. But we can't yet. It's still not safe. It won't be until Stefan is right again and I don't know about Mrs. Flowers. She may find out her spell will be counteracted and I doubt she'll be thrilled."  
  
"Oh, Damon. I know. But why? Why do things like this always happen to us? I'm so tired of this."  
  
"I think everyone is."  
  
He stood, drawing her up with him and he drew her close as they stood on the porch step. Elena held on to him praying that when this was all over, they'd have a chance for a better life together. She drew back and for a long moment they just stared. Finally, he looked away and together they walked back inside. 


	35. Chapter 34

"The boy," Mrs. Flowers said calmly, "is alive."  
  
"Alive?" questioned Ms. Van Saunters. "I thought you killed him."  
  
Mrs. Flowers looked around at the group of women before her. "In a way, I did," she said reassuringly.  
  
"Explain," Miss DeVault urged.  
  
"I took away something that was so important to him, that being dead would be a mercy. His ability to resist human blood." Mrs. Flowers beady black eyes glinted in the fire light.  
  
"So this boy, this Stefan Salvatore, is vampire?" A third member of the High Circle, Mrs. Peirson, inquired.  
  
She nodded. "Yes. He'd fought his nature for 500 years since he was changed. Only sometimes did he succomb to the driving need."  
  
Mrs. Flowers looked up at the full moon that was visiable through the surrounding trees. "I own a boarding house down in Fells Church, Virginia, you see. He'd rented a room there quite a while back. I'd been watching him and all of his little followers. Unbeknowst to them, of course. I found out everthing I could and I knew Stefan Salvatore was the perfect thing to get me  
  
into this group."  
  
Ms. Van Saunters spoke. "Are you sure your spell succeeded? It did not fail? You must be sure."  
  
Turning her attention back to the group, Mrs. Flowers replied, "Of course it did! My Powers have never failed before."  
  
Mrs. Pierson rose to stand. The firelight flickered off her large grey eyes and coppery hair. "It is true. I've seen this man because I watched what took place between him and Mrs. Flowers the day of the spell. All though, I never knew he was vampire."  
  
The rest of the surrounding Circle members turned to her. They understood how she could have; for Mrs. Pierson had the Sight.  
  
She continued, "I saw something else. There was another dark haired man there as well. When Mrs. Flowers finished, both were on the verge of death."  
  
"So why didn't they die?" came Miss DeVault's voice.  
  
"Two women came in later. A very lovely blond and a red head with clusters of curls. They must have saved them. I don't know how or what they did for my vision faded just as they came in." Mrs. Pierson turned to Mrs. Flowers for  
  
clarification.  
  
"The other boy was his brother. The women gave them blood."  
  
Mrs. Pierson took a seat as did Mrs. Flowers.  
  
"And you are absolutly positive no one can interefere?" Ms. Van Saunters asked, one black eyebrow raising. She was the leader of this Circle of witches, and she was critical in who she allowed.  
  
Mrs. Pierson broke in. "I felt something from the women. Much stronger from the red head but still from the blond as well."  
  
Mrs. Flowers sighed in aggrivation. "The little wretch is psychic, capable of some spells as well. The blond is vampire, not capable of much."  
  
Ms. Van Saunters pursed her lips. "And she won't interefere? She's psychic, surely she can reverse the spell. And what about the blond?"  
  
The moon shone on Mrs. Flowers white hair as she looked around at the members. "I'll take care of it."  
  
Again Mrs. Pierson spoke. This time, though, she stared directly into the flames and her voice was low and intense. "I see something...." She gasped. "The spell," she told the others, "isn't quite right. Stefan is not hurt by this spell. He's glorifying in his new found dark side and strength."  
  
"Mrs. Flowers," Ms. Van Saunters warned, "your entry into this High Circle isn't granted by amateur spells."  
  
Mrs. Pierson was still speaking and Mrs. Flowers could not reply. "But it's hurting the rest of them. They can't stand to see him like this. The little redhead just ran from the room...She's going to find a reversal spell."  
  
Suddenly, Mrs. Pierson sat back, blinking rapidly as her vision ended.  
  
Miss DeVault looked towards Mrs. Flowers. "Well? You will not be allowed into the High Circle if your spell for the first part of initiation did not work. What good did it do if Stefan isn't hurt by your spell and that psychic can  
  
reverse it anyway?"  
  
Mrs. Flowers shook her head. "He's not simply just gloryfying in the darkness. He's torn between light _and_ darkness."  
  
"But what about the psychic?" Miss DeVault wanted to know.  
  
"Like I said, she will be of no interefence. I'll make sure of that. Just you wait."  
  
There was silence in the wooded area where the group sat aorund the blazing fire. Mrs. Flowers nodded, as she slowly glanced around at each member infront of her.  
  
"He'll realize once he's back in the light for a while, what he did while with the darkside, and he'll be devastated. You see, Stefan Salvatore now has one foot in the light and one in the dark. It will slowly drive him mad...."  
  
There was an applause from the members of the Circle and Ms. Van Saunters rose to her feet. The flames sparked and the fire shot up into the night sky in what looked like a wall of orange flame. Mrs. Flowers stepped in and the  
  
initiation into the High Circle began. 


	36. Chapter 35

When Elena entered the kitchen with Damon behind her she knew something was not right. Stefan was no longer sitting at the table, arrogantly sneering or behaving the way she had seen him only a little while before. In fact, he  
  
wasn't even there.  
  
Elena felt panic in her stomach as she turned to Damon. "Damon....Where is Stefan?"  
  
He looked at the table, then glanced back to her. His dark eyes burned. "I told him to wait here."  
  
"Oh God, Damon. He could be out there killing again!" Elena's voice was shaking.  
  
"I'll get Bonnie." Elena started for the hall as Damon reached out to stop her.  
  
"No, don't. She's obviously not able to deal with it. I think it'd be better if we just went to look for him."  
  
Elena sighed. "You're right."  
  
Damon nodded, casting his mind out to locate his brother's. Elena didn't speak.  
  
A minute or two passed and Damon finally spoke. "Something's wrong. I can't quite place what it is."  
  
"Well, where is he?" Elena questioned, her blue eyes wide.  
  
"He's in the woods, at the park down the road."  
  
"Are you sure something's wrong? I mean, what in the world would he be doing there...?"  
  
"People go to a park, my dear."  
  
She laughed slightly. "Yeah. I'm sorry, I'm a mess right now."  
  
He smiled at her-- and it was a rare thing-- for he normally was flashing a devilish grin or smirk. She leaned up to kiss him gently.  
  
Damon smoothed a hand over her hair and said, "We should get going."  
  
Elena smiled weakly. "I know."  
  
For a moment she lay her head against his. Then, she stepped back, and together they left in search of Stefan.  
  
__________________________  
  
Stefan touched the ring on his middle finger as he stood in the wooded area of the local park.  
  
Revulsion made his insides churn and he doubled over. "I killed innocent people. God knows how many I killed for my own needs...." he moaned, falling to his knees in the plush grass.  
  
How could I have done that? he asked himself, disgustedly. He felt like he could die. And at that moment, he felt he had no right to live. He stayed like the for a while, the midday sun beating down on his back.  
  
He was so confused, so lost. Only a little while ago he'd been on some wild killing spree, burning hunger and driving need coursing through his veins. The blood, the life, the want, making him crazy, calling to him. And he had  
  
not denied it.  
  
He had wanted it. Craved it. Like some starving man before a feast.  
  
He, Stefan Salvatore, had killed many today. Without thinking. Without mercy.  
  
Without a care.  
  
And yet, here he was. Like his old self. Guilt ridden and nerve wracked over something he had done.  
  
He didn't get it. He felt torn. As though any moment he might snap, costing the people in the park a few yards away their lives. He didn't understand it, and he didn't care. All he knew was that people were dead. And it was because  
  
of him.  
  
Stefan stood, slowly rising to his feet as he lifted pained green eyes to the fiery sun above. He touched the ring he wore, twisted it around his finger as his eyes fell back to it, studying the blue gem that glinted in the light.  
  
He thought of Elena, and of Bonnie. Of how he must have hurt them. He thought of how sickened they probably were with him and he shut his eyes.  
  
"I don't deserve life when I took it from so many others...." he whispered and as he stood in the park, the sunlight drifting down in hot rays through the trees he went to pull the ring off.  
  
And then there was a cry.  
  
"NO! STEFAN!"  
  
It was Elena.  
  
He'd been stupid. He sighed, realizing truth. She, of all people, would never give up hope for him. She'd never turn her back on him, no matter if they weren't together. So why should he give up on himself?  
  
Damon was with her. But his brother didn't speak.  
  
Stefan didn't turn. He bowed his head. He couldn't bare to face her at that moment. Either of them for that matter. Quickly, he blended into the darkness, casting one thought to each of their minds. *Thank you* 


End file.
